


Loyalty

by Texan_Red_Rose



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-31
Updated: 2016-01-04
Packaged: 2018-05-10 02:59:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 59,604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5568214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Texan_Red_Rose/pseuds/Texan_Red_Rose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When pressed, will Weiss use her head or her heart?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: Gear Up

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. This story is already complete and will update daily, 9 chapters in total. All- okay, most- AU aspects will be addressed here in the prologue. Hope y'all enjoy.

_"For the past century, Humanity has been at war with two equally stubborn and dangerous factions: the soulless Grimm and the remorseless White Fang. This brief history details the major conflicts that shaped our current governance and rules of engagement for these distinct factions, as well as the heroes of Humanity whose bravery exemplifies the Human spirit and ensured the continued existence of our glorious race-"_

"Are you kidding me? There's _no_ way they got through my walls!" Yang whined, waving her scroll in the air. "This game is rigged!"

"Are you sure you didn't just forget to build the rear defense turrets?" Ruby offered, absorbed in her own version of the tower defense game on the bunk above her sister.

Weiss glared at the two over the edges of her own scroll, seated on her bed with her back propped against the wall, but ultimately said nothing as the sisters returned to their respective games with minimum grumbling from Yang. Hopeful the disturbance was over, she lowered her gaze back to the newly revised article, eager to skim down to the changes.

_"Chief among our defenders are the Hunter Corps, a regimentally organized force that takes their monikers and heraldry from our most basic, yet, most indispensable tools. The premier regiment of the Hunter Corps- and highest in the internal hierarchy- are the Beacons, men and women dedicated to the defense of Humanity, a light in our darkest nights. Their exploits alone could fill several tomes-"_

"AGAIN?" Yang groaned, tossing her scroll down in frustration and rolling off her bed. "Stupid game's rigged."

"Which level were you on?" Ruby spared her older sister a glance.

Yang stretched, arms above her head as she feigned disinterest. "Oh, twenty-seven I think."

Silver eyes widened slightly as the girl ducked her head, still tapping furiously at the game. "Oh. Okay."

The shift in tone was obvious, even to Weiss, so there was no doubt Yang caught on, especially when lilac eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Why? What level are _you_ on?"

"Um, I dunno?" Her shoulders hunched up higher.

"Oh, yes you do!" Yang clambered up, reaching for Ruby's scroll while the girl flailed to keep it away.

Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose. She was slowly becoming accustomed to the sisters' antics but she hardly appreciated them, taking a moment to consider the wording of her reprimand. Although the four had only functioned as a team for a handful of months, they'd boarded together for over a year, and trained together for two. In that time, Weiss had- unfortunately- discovered many ways _not_ to address such disturbances, leading to more friction between the four women than was entirely healthy for a newly forged team of Hunters.

"Level thirty-three? Are you kidding me?" Yang finally managed to snatch away the scroll, waving it around. "How? _How_?"

This could not continue. Today was one of their few scheduled breaks from training drills and inspections and Weiss was determined to utilize every minute of it, not spend the remainder of the afternoon listening to the sisters argue. She opened her mouth, ready to attempt a polite approach, but the woman in the bunk above her beat her to it.

"Yang, you're being loud." Blake's voice was relatively soft, but it still brought the blonde to an absolute standstill.

"Oh. Sorry, you two."

Ruby rolled her eyes and sighed. "You're literally shoving my head into the mattress and you're apologizing to _them_?"

"You're family. You don't count," the blonde replied with a grin, ruffling her little sister's hair before returning her scroll.

Weiss puffed out a sigh, glancing at the slats of the bunk above hers briefly. Something about the raven haired woman seemed off to her, though she'd never been able to pinpoint the source of her unease; of her teammates, Blake seemed the most reasonable and considerate, if a bit blunt at times. She didn't talk about her past- or, really, at all- but what mysteries surrounded her seemed mundane and unimportant when compared with the body of their work, so she was usually grateful for the mellow personality to offset Ruby's youthful naivety and Yang's boisterous vibrancy.

It certainly wasn't ideal, though. What, exactly, Captain Port was thinking when he assigned them as a team was beyond her, but it was clearly a stroke of madness on his part. While their abilities complimented, and they looked workable on paper, their personalities were many times at odds. Placing Ruby- a full two years younger than her teammates- as the leader was another move Weiss had questioned but eventually resigned herself to, seeing as her status within the rest of Human society did her little good while in the rank and file of the Hunter Corps.

Then again, seeing as their team was assigned to the _Beacon_ Regiment, there really much room for her to complain. She'd set out to become a member of the most elite fighting force in all of Remnant and she accomplished that. All that was left was to be deployed on missions, _real_ missions, not these training forays into the nearby forest so they could play with the smaller Grimm that hung around.

It was all part of her plan, to redeem the Schnee name and buff away the smudges on the family legacy her father had irrevocably stained. They would never be erased completely, of course, but she could at least shine so bright, it would take effort to see past it. Failure in any mission was _not_ an option, and the only way to ensure such was to remain at her peak, physically and mentally.

Which was why she needed to reacquaint herself with _Humanity: Fighting For Peace_ , the definitive article detailing the martial triumphs and shortcomings of her fellow Huntsmen and Huntresses. On the days she couldn't train physically, reading doctrine was her only recourse, so she focused once again on her scroll, intent on finishing the article.

Until Ruby's scroll began to play some clipped version of a pop song. It seemed there was no end to the ways peace could be shattered in a short time span.

"Ah, Ruby, there you are!" Captain Port's voice boomed over the connection as Ruby answered. "I realized your team is scheduled for the next thirty six hours off, but, well, something of a peculiar situation has arisen and we require a team to deploy on mission. Can your be ready in, say, the next hour?"

By the time Ruby looked up to scan the room, Weiss was already moving towards her locker, scroll stowed for the time being, while Yang let out a joyful whoop at the prospect of some action.

"Uh, yeah, I think we can do that."

"Splendid! Meet me in Briefing Room Twelve as soon as possible. We must move quickly on this, ladies."

Ruby hopped down from the bed, scurrying over to her own locker as Weiss started checking through her go bag. Blake stepped up beside her, opening her own locker and checking through her bag, counting the Dust containers she had kept from their last training exercise. As with everything within the Hunters Corps, Dust was rationed to each Huntsman and Huntress... though, as Weiss counted the ones she had, some of them used their pay to purchase Dust from the stores in town. Being the next in line for the Schnee Dust Company, however, meant that the white haired woman had a few... extra options when it came to stocking up.

"Did you need some?" Weiss offered, holding out a few containers of various colors. Making an effort to be somewhat social was practically a requirement imposed by Ruby and Yang, though she found dealing with their quieter teammate moderately easier. If it wasn't for that niggling feeling that something was _off_ , she might even seek out Blake's company more often than she did. Something about the woman just... piqued her interest a bit.

Amber eyes flicked from the capsules to her face before they fell somewhere in between, followed by a nod. "Thank you."

Another successful interaction; she was getting the hang of this. A small smile claimed her lips as she focused once more on her own gear, grabbing Myrtenaster and checking to ensure the chambers were full. Shutting the locker and slinging the white pack over her shoulder, Weiss turned to survey the readiness of the rest of her team. Yang was buzzing with energy, clenching and unclenching her fists while an outright vicious smirk claimed her lips. Ruby on the other hand, was locking Crescent Rose in place behind her back, her youth suddenly hidden by a serious demeanor.

"Is everyone ready?"

"Heck yeah!" The blonde punched the air, practically skipping towards the door. "Let's get out there and wreck some Grimm!"

"Or some White Fang." Weiss offhandedly offered, starting for the door.

It wasn't- necessarily- that she had an overall problem with Faunus as a species. There was a rational part of her mind that supposed there were some that were decent, just as some Humans were abhorrent, but experience had taught her that the whole of the White Fang were monsters, a step below the Grimm. At least the beasts of darkness had no soul, nothing to guide them to a better path; the White Fang intentionally destroyed Human lives, if they couldn't outright end them.

There once were small pockets of Faunus, communities that rejected the White Fang's agenda, but they didn't exist any more. Her father saw to that.

"Probably Grimm. We're not ready to fight White Fang," Blake said, earning her a slight glare from Weiss.

"We could handle them." Her fingers absently played along Myrtenaster's hilt, eager to prove the veracity of that statement.

No reply came, Amber eyes seeming to glow with some unknown emotion before Blake brushed past her, joining Yang in the hall. Ruby had watched the brief exchange with furrowed brows, pack in one hand.

"I'm sure she wasn't insulting our skills, Weiss, just being honest." She ran a hand through her short cropped hair. "We really haven't run many White Fang training scenarios since we became a team, so we're better prepared for Grimm."

Although a valid point, she opted not to acknowledge it, instead brushing past the team leader and into the hall. As long as they were going on a mission, it didn't matter their opponents; she would personally ensure they succeeded by any means necessary.

* * *

The four of them were stunned into silence as Captain Port finished his brief of the mission.

Okay, _three_ of them were stunned into silence.

"Oh, come on! You're pulling us from our off time to babysit some punk?"

"I'd hardly consider the VIP a 'punk', as you say, and it's not 'babysitting' either." The Captain laughed, stroking his mustache. "He's a military strategist that we're sending to Atlas to assist with an operation. I'm afraid I can't say more than that; you four will only be accompanying him as far as the coast, at any rate."

Ruby finally recovered, reining her sister in, despite Yang's mumbled protests. "So, we're just escorting him to the coast and returning to base?"

"Yes; I'll provide you with the information for the detachment representative you'll be making contact with once you've reached the coastal train station." The man pulled out his scroll, tapping at it as he spoke. "Also, I'd like to remind all of you that the overall risk in his mission is low, but you should be prepared for anything. There's a critical point along the tracks that's particularly vulnerable to Grimm attacks."

"We'll be careful, Captain." Ruby spoke over the buzzing of her scroll, smiling.

"We'll be bored." Yang muttered, suppressing a wince as her sister elbowed her in the gut.

"It's a mission they chose _us_ for, and not someone else. There's plenty of senior teams they had to choose from, and plenty of junior ones, too." Blake's voice was soft again as their commander brought up a few more small details, like the amount of Dust they'd be allotted. "We're either at the top of the juniors or bottom of the seniors; either way, it's not bad."

A sensible assessment, Weiss thought, keeping her attention divided between Yang's reluctant acknowledgement and Port's continued droning.

"Your next hit time is in four hours." The Captain coughed into his hand. "I understand the notice is limited but this is a particularly sensitive mission. Please make your preparations with discretion. You are dismissed."

The four nodded, exiting the briefing room and heading straight for the armory, where they housed the regiment's Dust containers. Although the standard down time between a mission briefing and its commencement was six hours, Weiss found herself grateful for the shorter notice. Although escort missions weren't known for being especially eventful, the less time they had to stew over it, the better.

"Weiss? Can you handle the, uh, forms, please?" One thing Ruby had practically perfected in her short time as their leader was the art of delegation, partially born out of her innate abilities as a tactician and partially born out of her utter consternation when it came to paperwork.

"Sure. Anything aside from the standard mission requirements?" Along with doctrines and military treatises, Weiss spent more than a few nights reviewing standard procedures regarding team deployments.

"Yeah, um, a... personnel transfer record form?" Ruby scowled at her scroll as they walked, furrowing her brows.

"Oh, a 26D-578." She pulled her own scroll out, pulling up the form. "Did they specify which version? I would assume 26D-578B."

"Yeah, that." The younger woman laughed. "Thanks again."

"Why'd we have to get stuck with a boring mission?" Yang bemoaned, shuffling along at the back of the group. "It's almost as bad as tower duty!"

"You don't have to listen to your snoring, Yang," Blake said. "Trust me; this is better."

Ruby laughed and Weiss chuckled while the blonde in question rolled her lilac eyes. "Ha ha, very funny." She cracked a smile. "I guess it's not so bad. It's a free pass off base; not often we get that!"

"We don't really need to leave." Weiss noted, finishing one form and switching to the next. "Beacon's HQ is more than equipped to handle our needs."

That was true, from a strictly spartan perspective. Everything a Hunter needed was available, though life within the compound could become dreadfully dull for those unable to occupy themselves otherwise. Weiss had plenty to keep her entertained and Blake always seemed to have her nose buried in a book, but Ruby and Yang were more inclined towards social interaction as a means to unwind. Personally, she didn't see the appeal.

"Speak for yourself." Yang pouted. "I don't know why they don't reopen the Hunter's Club."

"Probably because you're still here and they can only afford so many repairs," Ruby replied.

"I told Junior I was sorry! What more does he want?"

Their raven haired teammate offered a small smirk. "Yang, you threw him through a window after sliding him down the full length of the bar. A simple 'I'm sorry' is a bit... insufficient."

"Fine, I'll buy him flowers when I get back." Yang sighed, scratching at her chin. "And chocolates. Guys like chocolate, right?"

"And long walks on the beach," Blake said.

"And a ring." Weiss offered, glancing away from her scroll to gauge their reaction.

Almost instantly, Yang shrunk in on herself, shivering slightly. "Thanks, guys, thanks. I just got the mental picture of me proposing to Junior on the beach. Thank you for the nightmare fuel."

They actually had to stop walking briefly as Ruby and Yang busted out laughing and even Weiss couldn't help but use her hand to smother her mirth. It was an old habit but one she couldn't seem to break. Even Blake was joining in on the amusement, chuckling gently and leaning against the wall. As they recovered, Yang threw an arm around her sister's neck, dragging both of them down the hall as she ruffled Ruby's hair and teased her. Weiss made to follow her teammates but stopped short at the sound of her name.

"Are you disappointed?" Blake was watching her, amber eyes steady and inquisitive.

Weiss raised a brow. "About?"

"The mission. You seemed eager to fight the White Fang." Her posture was rigid and uncomfortable, something so obvious even Weiss couldn't miss it. "Does it bother you that we aren't expecting them on this mission?"

She had a response poised at the tip of her tongue but refrained. Deflection was something she'd been taught at a young age, part of the art of deception her father assured her was a necessary trait of any successful business. It hadn't done their family any particular favors, though, but like many other things, it was a difficult habit to break. Still, Ruby insisted that placing her trust in her teammates wasn't a bad thing, wasn't a sign of weakness, and despite their relatively short time together as a team, Weiss was beginning to believe her. She'd never felt quite as content back at her family's home in Atlas as she did in their cramped, shared quarters in Beacon's barracks.

So, against much of what she was taught, Weiss opted to be truthful. "Somewhat, yes. It would be untruthful to say I don't harbor a grudge. The White Fang... took a lot from me."

"You mean, like, mines and stuff?" She turned her head, noting Yang and Ruby had rejoined them, a certain solemn shroud falling upon their group.

Blake rarely spoke- of her past or otherwise- and the sisters had often regaled them with tales from their youth, including the somewhat odd family life they shared. Weiss, on the other hand, had been careful to avoid any mentions of her family directly- they existed in whatever stories she told in an abstract sense, present but not quite there. Never addressed in detail. However, there was no way to convey the severity of the answer to that question without being specific.

"No." She squared her shoulders. "I once had twenty-five cousins, seven uncles, six aunts, my parents, and my sister. Only my father, my sister, and myself remain. Lost mines are the least of my grievances." She could feel the long buried anger rising within her and tried her best to shove it down, far down, locked back away like it usually was. "Is this really the time to discuss this?"

"I didn't mean to upset you." Amber eyes shifted, the raven haired woman making to disengage from the conversation, but it was too late for that now.

"You also didn't ask the question you wanted answered, so spit it out." Her short temper was going to get her in serious trouble, one day, and she could tell Ruby was preparing to intervene if needed. "Make this conversation worth it."

Though her posture remained stiff, it looked less uncomfortable and more like someone bracing for an impact as Blake turned towards her once again. "Did your hate for the Faunus drive you to Beacon?"

"Maybe this _isn't_ the time to have this conversation." Ruby muttered, about to step in when Yang put a hand on her shoulder.

Truthfully, the battle of wills between the sisters was a blessing. The moment the question left the other woman's mouth, Weiss had half a hundred different ways to berate her spring to mind, her pride sorely bruised by the accusation. It was a struggle to keep from lashing out and, ultimately, a fight she failed to win completely.

"No, Blake, I _didn't_ spend the past two years going through rigorous training _just_ so I could occasionally be sent out and enact a vendetta against the White Fang. If I _was_ so inclined, I would've hired mercenaries, outfitted them with the best equipment available, and launched my own personal campaign of genocide, _like my father did._ " She stepped forward until she was nose to nose with the taller girl, ice blue eyes glaring into unwavering amber. "I'm not my father and I refuse to inherit _his_ sins. The next time you'd like to imply as much, keep it to yourself." She turned, ready to be done with the subject altogether, but felt one more thing needed to be said. "Oh, and for the record, I don't hate the _Faunus_. The White Fang are monsters- murderers and thieves entirely- but if such a thing as an innocent soul exists among their people, I'd have no quarrel with them." She started walking away. "Not that I expect to ever meet one."

Weiss walked away, quickly focusing her attention on her scroll once more. Some part of her mind was annotating the exchange as a negative mark on the social interaction scale, but the rest of her was too peeved to care. Ruby would probably force her to apologize later, but she would wait until then.


	2. The Mission

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Still don't own anything.

As Yang had feared, the mission was- thus far- exceedingly uneventful. Ever since taking up their respective positions and leaving the station, the five occupants within the train car had largely ignored one another's existence, except for the cursory glance to ensure the VIP hadn't moved. Their charge for the trip was a tall but terribly drab man with dark hair and eyes, wearing a simple suit and shades, which was an obvious ploy to look as 'normal' as one could while on a mostly empty train with a team of Hunters.

Weiss nearly had the presence of mind to be frustrated by the discrepancy. Some part of her was irritated that the Captain had either failed to inform their VIP of the armed escort and the need to be armed himself or he'd forgotten to mention this was a plain clothes detail but it was ultimately shoved aside. There was nothing they could do about it at this point and they weren't expecting any trouble aside from a possible attack by Grimm as they moved through the upcoming forest.

Instead, she scanned the train car from her spot in the corner closest to the door leading towards the engine. While the majority of the shades were drawn shut, the late afternoon light filtered in through the unobstructed windows as the grassy plains beyond rushed past. Ruby had managed to carefully insert herself into the overhead cargo portion of the car, allowing her to remain completely unseen from any unwanted observers unless she chose to poke her head out. Yang was sitting across from their target, quietly cursing to herself as she pretended to continue playing that stupid game on her scroll. Pretending, obviously, because the blonde could rarely last more than an hour before she somehow lost the game or was dealt a seemingly unfair hand by the AI and felt the need to let her displeasure be known. Blake, of course, was at the back of the car, amber eyes scanning just as frequently as Weiss' blue, though there seemed to be a conscious effort to avoid her teammate's gaze.

Her body language did little to hide her obvious discomfort. While Weiss would never consider herself an expert on the subject, she had spent an exorbitant amount of time studying her teammates and could tell that Blake's posture was more rigid than usual, even given the parameters of their mission. There were a couple of times when it even looked like she was fidgeting while Weiss was scanning her area of the car, though that could've been a trick of the mind. In all likelihood, seeing as they hadn't spoken to each other since their exchange after the initial briefing, there existed some... unresolved issues that would have to be addressed at some point. Hopefully, much later.

"Psst. Weiss." She internally groaned, working to keep an impassive expression on her face. The voice drifting down from above could only belong to one person, even if she didn't immediately recognize it. Without looking towards her team leader, Weiss tilted her head slightly to indicate she was listening. "Are you still mad at Blake?" The tightening around her lips must've conveyed how very little she wished to entertain this conversation presently. "Okay, so I already know the answer, but look, we're a team! We might not always get along but we have to work together to get over any obstacle in our way, ya know? Even fights. And seeing as we're about a mile from the most dangerous part of this journey, I think it's best to resolve the issue now so we're clear headed in case something _does_ happen."

"And what makes you think I'm _not_ capable of thinking straight at the present moment?" She was careful to barely move her lips, focusing on keeping her expression smooth as she glanced through the window, eyes dancing over the scenery. It was taking a supreme will of effort to remain dignified but the constant reminder that they were on an actual mission helped alleviate some of the problem.

"You're kinda glaring at her every time you scan the back of the car." Ruby offered sheepishly and she could just imagine the expression the younger woman was wearing. "Even Yang noticed."

"Yang has her back to me."

_"That's how hard you're glaring."_

Weiss sighed, bringing her hand up to cover her mouth, as if she was seriously contemplating the bland news article she'd pulled up on her scroll for cover. "So, I'm to apologize, is that it?"

It was becoming difficult to feign disinterest in the other occupants of the train, which didn't bode well for the mission or her teammates.

" _She_ wants to apologize. Really, I think both of you should," Ruby replied, apparently unaffected by the slowly boiling anger rising up in her. The words did some to quell it, though; at least she wasn't alone in reprisal. "She should've waited until after the mission to ask and you could've been nicer about answering. Right now, there's just way too much tension; she looks like she's about to snap and you look like you're about to blow up."

Smoothing her bangs away, Weiss used both hands to adjust her ponytail. At least she wasn't the only one who noticed, though she did feel a twinge of guilt at causing the other woman distress. Not that she felt particularly at fault for the whole debacle- it was Blake who opened the proverbial can of worms- but she could at least admit her emotions got a bit... out of hand. "I don't think abandoning our posts would be an ideal solution."

"Right, but could you at least, I don't know, stop glaring at her? Maybe _smile_ or something? We can formally exchange apologies and have a reconciliatory pillow fight when we get back to base but, for right now, both of you need to relax and call a truce." She could hear Ruby shifting in the limited space. "I'll even bake cookies!"

Rolling her eyes at the juvenile- though admittedly effective- bribe attempt, Weiss crossed her arms over her chest and set her gaze on the woman across the train from her.

She really _shouldn't_ be forced into conceding this particular battle but she would, for the sake of both their mission and their team. It was the pragmatic decision. Then again, perhaps she was just latching onto the excuse as a way to soothe her wounded pride. After all, Blake wasn't the first to make the accusation and she likely wouldn't be the last. Although the Schnee family name wasn't as associated with her father's actions as his given name was, every superior she'd fallen under had questioned her motivations for joining the Hunter Corps and the media speculated endlessly. Why would an heiress with a vast fortune to her name forsake the life of the rich and powerful to fight in the trenches of an unwinnable war?

They would never understand. She wasn't even able to accurately define it herself. And, if she forced herself to be honest, maybe part of the anger directed at Blake was really stemming from her own bitterness over failing to mention how the White Fang _had_ taken her father from her, had turned him into a man she barely recognized and would prefer not to claim. Out of habit- and maybe a daughter's unconditional love- she _had_ claimed him, and it chaffed her to realize that and be powerless to alter it.

Before she could fall too deep into her own swirling mix of anger, disgust, and frustration, amber orbs flicked to her, meeting her stare evenly for just a moment. Then the raven haired woman inclined her head slightly in a nod, a subtle and tentative first move, and Weiss found herself replying in kind all too readily, shoulders relaxing enough for her to notice how tense she'd been since boarding the train. Taking Ruby's suggestion, she smiled, just a curve of her lips, but the expression was met with perhaps the biggest grin she'd ever seen on Blake's face. It was... nice, to be the cause of that.

"Woo! Glad _that's_ finally over!" Yang all but yelled, throwing a toothy smirk over her shoulder.

Weiss' expression dropped. "Did she _ever_ learn the meaning of the word 'subtlety'?"

"I tried but Uncle Qrow told me to stop and save my sanity for other things."

With a sigh, she returned her attention to her scroll, hoping the momentary lapse in protocol wouldn't cost them the mission.

* * *

Blake took a surreptitious breath, releasing it slowly as she watched Weiss drop her gaze to her scroll and Yang turn back around, winking at her. A slight nod was enough for the blonde to return to doing whatever had held her attention for the duration of the train ride, leaving Blake once again alone with her thoughts. Mechanically, she returned to her periodic scans of the train, no longer feeling like invisible daggers were being hurled her way whenever Weiss did the same.

It really didn't make a great deal of sense, in the long run. When she first managed to enlist in the Hunter Corps, she'd tried her hardest to mentally prepare herself for the inevitable: fighting and killing her own people. The thought still stung, a festering wound she would never seek treatment for but would bear silently, and with that came the equally inevitable pride and joy her comrades would take in the bloodshed, counting each felled Faunus as another notch to move them up the chain of command. Still, being confronted with the reality was much worse than what her imagination conjured up, mainly because it was easy to brush off the actions and emotions of imagined creatures. There was no emotional attachment. In contrast, she'd taken a liking to the odd group of women she'd fallen in with, the team that seemed as likely to tear itself apart as it did to come together. With time, she'd even come to respect their individual strengths and found that they _could_ work together remarkably well.

But her actions and reactions, though genuine, had done nothing but disrupt the still growing kinship between her teammates. She shouldn't have asked Weiss that stupid question. There were at least a dozen news articles on the topic, ranging from accounts of the reportedly amicable departure of the youngest Schnee from the family business to wild speculation, and she'd read nearly all of them to try and figure the woman out. The only ones that claimed her ascension to the rank of Hunter was largely due to her quest for righteous vengeance were the trashy gossip rags that also proclaimed Faunus as Grimm infected Humans. To believe them was absurd.

But there was a sliver of doubt, so she asked. Foolish.

"Blake?" Ruby's voice was directly above her once more. Muffled by the ribbon hiding them, her cat ears hadn't particularly heard the younger woman traverse the train car via the overhead storage area. Unlike Yang, her sister was much more adept at moving quietly, even if Blake was still the undisputed master of stealth within the team. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she replied, the words mostly true. "Thank you."

There was a sigh, followed by weight settling a little more firmly against the wood overhead. "You know... I'm really worried about you two."

Picking up her abandoned book- one she'd checked out from the base's library, not one of the precious few she could actually call hers- Blake pretended to pick up where she'd left off. "How so?"

"Well, it's like earlier. I know Weiss doesn't like how loud Yang and I can be sometimes, but we still get along pretty well. I mean, it's hard _not_ to get along with Yang. If she wants it to happen, she'll _make_ it happen." A soft laugh drifted down, the words carrying that same quality they took whenever the younger sister spoke positively of her sibling, equal parts pride and adoration. "And I try to be friendly, too. I think I do alright, but it's not the same. You and Weiss are... not like us." She became more subdued. "Both of you prefer reading and quiet things and talk softly and I think it's important that you two can do those sorta things together. Because Yang and I are _really_ bad at them."

Blake puffed out a brief chuckle, disguising the motion as she turned the page in her book. "You could learn."

"Yeah, but Yang couldn't, and I think we kinda like her being the obnoxious oaf that she is. Don't tell her I said that." Ruby laughed. "I'm just saying that I think the two of you could be very good friends and I can't figure out why it seems like the friction never seems to go away completely." A sigh. "I feel responsible, I guess. I just want my friends to be happy and I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. And I've thought about telling _them_ that but Yang will just laugh and tell me I'm doing a great job and Weiss... I'm still kinda afraid she'll just tell me that I was chosen to be the leader for a reason and that I should just figure it out already."

"Do you want my opinion?" Blake reclined slightly in her seat, bringing her book up a bit more to cover her mouth's movements. The way the book was angled, it hid more from the other train car's occupants than it did from anyone watching the train itself, but she honestly didn't think that mattered too much, and continued after a rushed affirmative from above her. "You are doing a great job, Ruby. The problems that exist between Weiss and I are... not easily overcome and we haven't made the attempts to try and fix them, yet. Like you said, we're not like the two of you; dealing with problems like these don't come easily or naturally to us. We don't just sit down and talk them out."

A slight thump. "I thought you guys were supposed to be the adults?"

"You're only two years younger than us." Blake had half a mind to be insulted but found Ruby's childish whine more than a little amusing. "I promise, when we get back to base, I'll... try."

It was vague, but Ruby seemed to accept it. "Great! I'll make sure Weiss plays nice, too. Like I said, if you two would give each other the chance, I think you could be really awesome friends! I have a sense for these sorta things."

"You mean wishful thinking?" A louder, intentional thump. "I know you laughed."

"I admit to nothing!"

She grinned slightly, listening as shuffling noises moved away from her and turning to the next page. Although the subject of the book was interesting in its own right- _Grimm Tales: How to Survive Unexpected Attacks_ \- Blake hadn't absorbed one word of it since their mission began, not wanting her attention diverted from the state of her surroundings. It helped that she'd read it at least twice already. Once again, her mind turned to other topics while her body mechanically continued to scan the area, alert for any danger or change.

The exchange with her team leader had stirred a confliction she'd yet to properly address, not to mention one she kept secret from her team. In the past few months since their official formation, Blake had started entertaining the idea that she could possibly reveal herself to them without losing their friendship. Although it was often difficult to tell where she stood in Weiss' eyes, Yang's boisterous attitude and Ruby's cheerfulness never seemed to disappear when faced with her stranger habits and they rarely so much as furrowed their brows when the subject of the Faunus came up- though Yang's bravado about facing the White Fang was occasionally troubling. But, as always, Weiss... was a different story.

_That_ was the question she wanted answered but refused to put into such unambiguous words: could Weiss ever accept her?

True, it was somewhat liberating to be treated as a Human was within their society, no one batting an eye or throwing her suspicious looks, labeling her one way or another. Not having to steal to eat or being challenged for every little bit of progress. Being an equal, judged by her own merits, with possibilities open to her, and not shoehorned into a position she never wanted. Rather than be satisfied with that, though, she wanted to be accepted for who she was entirely, which was absurd. As far as Humans were concerned, their people were at war with one another.

In hindsight, allowing herself the fantasy of revealing her heritage was a particularly wicked brand of self-inflicted torture. It would simply never come to pass and she should just bury it once and for all instead of entertaining the ridiculous notion any longer.

Blake scanned the area again, her gaze locking with Weiss' by chance. This time, there was no hostility, just a wordless understanding. Like the Human was just as perplexed by the invisible wall that divided them and was trying to find a way around it. But as their eye contact broke, Blake reminded herself that she was most likely projecting and turned the page.

* * *

The train rocked along the tracks, the creaking and grinding of metal on metal practically echoing in within the dead silent car. They were about a kilometer or two from the danger point, where the forest grew thick and Grimm roamed in numbers no matter how many patrols were sent to clear them out. Blake was about the turn to the next page when movement caught her eye as the train went around a bend, amber orbs zeroing in on an out of place glint. She instantly snapped her book shut, a non-verbal cue her teammates caught, each tensing in preparation as Blake tried to puzzle out what she'd seen. The car- two back from the engine- had disappeared from view, though, and when she was able to catch sight of it again, there was no time for guesswork. The side of the car exploded out, the shockwave jostling every subsequent car. Though the jolt was enough to send the inexperienced to the ground, Yang, Weiss, and Blake were on their feet and readying their weapons. As Ruby dropped down from above, a second explosion rocked the train, this time from the one of the rear cars.

"What the heck was that?" Yang's lips twitched into a frown even as Ember Celica encased her forearms. "Since when can Grimm use explosives?"

"There are still some subspecies we haven't been able to study in depth." Weiss offered, cycling through Myrtenaster's chambers.

Ruby pulled out her scroll, accessing the train's minimal security system. "Okay, so at least three targets in Car Three and four or more in Car Ten. We're in Five, so the enemies in Three are definitely more pressing."

"If any of them reach the engine, we'll be stranded in the forest." Blake noted, Gambol Shroud already in hand, her finger resting lightly on the trigger.

"We have to split up to deal with the threats _and_ secure this car." Weiss surmised, scanning over the readout with Ruby.

"I can take the back!" Yang grinned. "I can handle it."

"Um, right. Okay. Weiss, you and I will secure Car Three. Preserving the engine is our priority." Weiss nodded. "Yang, start moving to the back of the train; punch off the connections if you get overwhelmed." Yang rolled her eyes but nodded, hands clenching into fists. "Blake, remain here and protect the VIP. If we lose the train, bail out and rendezvous... here." She typed in a command, three other scrolls buzzing as the location was marked on their maps as well. "Okay, let's go!"

Ruby and Weiss instantly set off towards the front of the train, throwing the doors open and disappearing into the next car. Yang tilted her head side-to-side, working out the kinks while speaking.

"Sorry you're left holding the bag, Blake. Want me to save one for you?"

Blake smirked slightly. "Not at all. Be careful, Yang."

The blonde laughed as she opened the door heading the opposite way as her sister. "Oh, come on, I'm always careful." She winked. "Well, by my definition anyway."

As the last of her teammates exited the car, her expression fell, turning her attention to the man they were escorting. Before she could say a word, the train jerked again, setting her nerves on edge as she turned her attention towards the engine. They were decelerating but she couldn't see anything to indicate why. The animal part of her, the feline that always seemed to bristle at the slightest hint of danger, was rioting within her, worried about the fate of her teammates, and it took a sincere amount of self control to not let it show. As long as she was the sole guard for their VIP, it was her duty to keep him safe and calm.

"Sir, please hide under the table until the situation is under control." She took up an aggressive, defensive stance, the pistol grip seeming to conform to the contours of her hand despite its solid weight.

"I don't think that will be necessary, Miss Belladonna." Blake's eyes widened slightly, every instinct suddenly redirecting her perception of the immediate threat from the train cars ahead of her to the man behind her. She tried to turn and defend herself but two sharp prongs stabbed into the base of her neck, a horrid scream wrenching from her throat as electricity shot between them. Her body immediately crumpled, unable to maintain her fighting posture as her muscles began to twitch and revolt against every command she gave them. She hit her knees first, still trying to pull herself away, but a solid strike to the back of her head sent her to the floor. Vision heavily blurred, body aching in protest, and muscles weak from shock, Blake had enough time to turn her head and see the final blow coming before the man's foot connected with her temple, sending her tumbling into darkness.

* * *

Ruby and Weiss rushed through Car Four, stumbling slightly as the train began to decelerate. Either the crew had panicked or their assailants had reached the engine; either way, things weren't looking too optimistic. If the engine was compromised, they would be forced to abandon the train and meet at the rendezvous.

Readying Mytenaster, Weiss followed Ruby through the next car, taking a moment to assess the situation once they were outside their destination. Three hulking beowolves lingered in the car, one clawing at the door leading to the engine while the other two milled around. Unlike the previous cars, which had seats and tables, this was a cargo car- which was odd, weren't those usually placed at the back of the train?- and had more than a few obstacles in their way, from metal cages lining the sides to swinging chains meant to secure larger loads. The right side of the car was completely blown away, smudges of black around the edges of the hole.

"I don't have the room to swing." Ruby muttered, switching Crescent Rose from its scythe form to the sniper rifle, getting into a solid position. "I'll take the back one down first when you open the door."

"I'll slip behind the other two, draw their attention." Weiss concentrated, conjuring a glyph just a hair's breadth away from forming. "Don't shoot me, please."

"Um, I'll try? Not to shoot you, that is."

"Comforting." She muttered, hand on the door handle as she waited for her teammate to get set. The two closer beowolves were turning their attention to whatever caught their packmate's attention, meaning their window of opportunity was closing swiftly. Although her fighting technique and style heavily relied on close quarters combat, she had a distinct personal limit on how near she wanted one of those things to her, and the train car was rather limiting in that regard. "Ready?"

"Steady," Ruby replied, a smile on her lips.

"Good."

Yanking the door open, the crack of a shot echoed through the tiny space a moment after, the beast letting out a single, short, pitiful shriek of pain as it began to unravel into smoke. Instantly, two sets of blood red eyes focused on them, and Weiss wasted no time in activating her glyph. As the beowolves took a loping step towards them, their momentum was suddenly thrown off as Myrtenaster's high pitched song pulled their attention instead to her as she appeared behind them. In the precious seconds she had, Weiss pulled the trigger and struck, the blade humming with blue light moments before it impacted the beast's chest, sending a flurry of ice crystals bursting through the inky blackness of its hide. Its death scream was frozen in its throat, the ice shattering its body as smoke wafted away.

She had no chance to celebrate the execution of her attack, hastily backstepping to avoid the claws of the remaining beowolf. The swipe unfortunately put the beast between Weiss and Ruby. Although the round wasn't _likely_ to penetrate the beowolf completely, Ruby wouldn't take that chance, leaving her to either get out of the way or make the final kill stroke herself.

Weiss weighed her options, backflipping away as another clumsy swipe sailed harmlessly through the air, claws imbedding briefly in the wooden crate that now served as her higher ground. Ruby _might_ take the shot, but the beowolf was already trying to clamber up after her, so she switched to the next chamber, pulled the trigger, and thrusted in a precise strike to the beast's eye, the yellow energy crackling along her blade discharging within the beast. It howled and threw out a heavy paw as a last resort, but a crack from Crescent Rose had it bursting into nothing more than a memory before the blow could even come close.

"Yay! Great job Weiss!" Ruby cheered, jogging into the car and obviously trying to restrain her giddiness, though Weiss herself felt dispatching the beasts should've required a little more effort on their parts. It was almost insultingly easy.

Weiss hopped down from the crate and nearly stumbled as the train decelerated further, the screeching that rang through their ears a clear indicator of the brakes being applied. "What are they doing?"

Brows furrowed, glancing outside at the scenery, Ruby paused mid-step. "Uh... Weiss... does... it look like the wall was blown from the inside out?"

Raising one pale eyebrow, Weiss gave the scene a cursory glance before she started noticing the little details Ruby had already acknowledged: the lack of debris on the inside of the car, the gunpowder smudges on the floor and ceiling, and the pieces of metal scattered around. Her gaze then fell on the cargo inside the car.

"The beowolves didn't break in... they were let out." She gestured towards the metal cages, the telltale gouges from beowolf claws marring every space in the cage. A cold weight settled on her stomach as the realization dawned. "We were drawn away."

"Back to Five!" Ruby turned and started running, pulling her scroll free and trying to reach their teammates. "Yang! Blake!"

"Calm down, sis, I'm here." Yang seemed only slightly out of breath but in high spirits. "They were easy, no sweat!"

"Yang, it was a distraction!" Ruby's voice became slightly more frantic. "Blake? Blake, can you hear me?"

Weiss felt her heart leap into her throat, pushing her legs a little faster, overtaking the young woman to throw the doors aside as they traversed the cars, seeing as one of Ruby's hands was occupied. She tried to keep a level head. It was just a simple escort mission and Blake was more than capable of defending herself. She probably left her scroll on silent or something. She was fast, strong, smart- she was one of the best Hunters in their enlisted class.

Logically, she had to be okay, but that did nothing to lift the weight of irrational dread settling over her.

Finally, she threw open the door to Car Five, shock bringing her to a stand still two steps after entering. There, laying prone in the middle of the car, arms bound in heavy metal bands across her wrists and forearms with even bulkier restrains at her ankles and knees, chains criss-crossed over her chest, and a muzzle obscuring the lower half of her face, was Blake. There was a little bit of blood at the base of her neck, just a trickle, and Weiss felt her temper flare.

"What is the meaning of this?" She demanded, ready to bring Myrtenaster to bear against the man standing over her fallen teammate. Although distantly aware of Ruby relaying the events to Yang over her scroll, she was entirely focused on her new enemy.

"You ladies can stand down now; the mission was successful," the man said, slowly reaching inside his jacket to produce his scroll, his credentials displayed on the screen. "We've apprehended the spy. Your team will be debriefed upon return to base."

" _Spy?_ " She balked, clicking back to the blue Dust filled chamber and readying a glyph. "Blake is _not_ a spy!"

"Evidence suggests otherwise," he replied, switching the scroll's screen to an interface of some sort.

" _Evidence?_ " Ruby sounded just as incredulous as she felt.

She took a step forward, closer to Blake while her attention remained on their former VIP. Although she would argue that she had _plenty_ of provocation, there were severe consequences for Hunters to attack their fellows without reason. What little control she could claim scrambled for a logical argument to use instead. "In accordance with Internal Review Regulation 357-1C, evidence must be presented at the time of arrest when the charge carries a severe consequence, such as permanent imprisonment or death. Espionage carries the death penalty, so where _is_ your evidence?"

She thought for a moment- very briefly- that Ruby was stepping up beside her to try and diffuse the situation, as she so often did when the arguments erupted between her teammates. Instead, the young woman held Crescent Rose at the ready, her expression mirroring Weiss'. Apparently, she wasn't the only one who didn't take kindly to baseless accusations leveled at her friends.

Their ally-turned-opponent didn't seem the least bit concerned about the hostilities directed against him, tapping a command into his scroll that caused unseen gears to begin churning. With a hiss of hydraulics, the ceiling of the car began moving, lifting up on a hinge hidden in the storage area opposite where Ruby hid previously.

"We've received intelligence reports that Blake Belladonna is an operative of the White Fang. However, this is merely a detainment, not an arrest. I simply misspoke earlier." His words were calm and confident over the noise of the machinations, wind suddenly rushing into the car as the sky appeared above them. "Additionally, we have a strong suspicion that she is, herself, a Faunus."

Weiss felt her heart stop, the unimaginable implications of _that_ accusation sending a resonating tremor through her. Her jaw fell slack, eyes widened, shoulders sagged, but her grip on Myrtenaster remained steady and her resolve- despite all the little, peculiar details she'd noticed over the past two years that suddenly clicked into place- was rock solid.

"No."

"Excuse me?" The main raised one brow.

"No. You're wrong." Raising her weapon and preparing to pull the trigger, she narrowed her eyes at him. "Blake is our teammate and an honorable Huntress whom you are illegally detaining in hopes of forcing a confession, which she won't be able to provide."

"You're not taking her," Ruby said, making a show of pulling back the action and leveling her weapon at the man's chest.

Before he could respond, the back side of the car exploded into shards of wood and metal as Yang stalked forward, teeth grinding together, wreathed in flames and gaze boring into her new target with rage filled red eyes. "We. Won't. Let. You."

Only now did the man start to look slightly uncomfortable. "Look, we are on the same side. I'm as much a member of the Hunter Corps as you all are."

"You're going to have to do better than that!" Yang shouted, pumping each fist to prime her Ember Celica for firing.

"Please, Huntresses, this was part of your mission. I have the express permission of Major Fall and Captain Port to conduct this detainment." The man glanced up at the sky, relaxing slightly. "Besides, the three of you are considered excellent, talented Hunters that Beacon would rather not squander."

Weiss narrowed her eyes further until the machinations finally stopped and she could hear what had set him at ease. A quick glance up confirmed that the sound of an airship's engines was not the work of her imagination, thick black cables lowering towards them with Jumpers dangling at the ends, their emblem emblazoned on the airship as well. Gritting her teeth behind her lips, she weighed their odds quickly and determined that, even if they were to triumph, it would only come at a cost that would deprive them an effective extraction. Ruby must've noticed the same thing, the barrel of Crescent Rose faltering slightly.

"The detainment of this _alleged_ spy will be briefed to you upon your return. Stand down now and I can assure you that there won't be any negative reprimands handed down." The man stood aside as the newly arrived Jumpers, holding secondary cables, began hooking them into Blake's restraints.

Every muscle in her body stayed primed to spring into action but she held back on one last hope. "We'll have the chance to speak in her defense, correct? If she's only being detained, she's allotted a chance to have others vouch for her per regulation."

The man inclined his head slightly, then nodded. "Yes, of course."

She had to believe he was being sincere. The Jumpers were all veterans, experts in their field, and without Blake they were an incomplete team.

Ruby was the first to lower her weapon and Weiss reluctantly followed. Yang, although she dropped her arms to her sides, still radiated rolling fire, a ticking bomb just waiting to detonate, and she couldn't blame the other woman. Even Ruby was chewing on her lip anxiously, probably just as concerned they were making the wrong choice as she was.

"Your cooperation is appreciated, ladies," the man said, offering them a conciliatory smile that made her gut turn. Without another word, he was hooked into a safety harness and all of them were lifted up towards the airship.

But Weiss only watched her teammate, hanging limp as the cables pulled her up, hooked onto each restraint except the muzzle. Tears stung at her eyes.

Had she just betrayed one of the few friends she could claim?

They didn't even get the chance to talk to her, promise they would do whatever they could to get this horrendous oversight corrected.

She didn't have the chance to apologize.

"This sucks," Yang said, the edge to her voice doing more to highlight the understatement than words ever could.

As the airship began its expedited trip back to the compound, she suddenly felt something she hadn't in some time, something she strove to avoid and deny every chance she had.

She was Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, ranked Huntress of the revered Beacon Regiment of the Hunter Corps... and she was entirely, utterly helpless. "What do we do now?"

She looked between the sisters, seeing variations of the same emotions fighting through her as Ruby shook her head.

"I... don't know."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Oh, look, the plot showed up. At this point, I might mention that it would be best to wait until the end of the fic before biting my head off. Reasons.


	3. Head or Heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Yeah... nothing's changed... no ownership rights here.

As it turned out, there was very little they _could_ do upon returning to base. Seeing as the entire escort mission was staged by their superiors, neither engine was in any danger and the train immediately began its trek back to the Regiment's headquarters. As soon as they stepped off the train, the remaining teammates were put under armed guard by yet another squad of Jumpers and escorted back to their quarters, effectively under house arrest until Captain Port came to debrief them. Nearly an hour had passed since their room door was locked and the time had taken varied tolls on the three women. Yang had relaxed to some extent, a half smile hanging awkwardly on her lips as she sat on her bunk, mindlessly checking her Ember Celica as part of their standard post mission routine. Ruby had her attention split between Crescent Rose and worriedly watching Weiss.

Because the only thing _she_ could think to do was pace, hands wringing together. Myrtenaster was hanging on her hip, chambers still in need of refilling, her own precise post mission habits forgone as scenarios plagued her mind. Logic warred against emotions in her head, a battle she typically worked to avoid at all costs. In this instance, however, there was no keeping them in check.

Had they done the right thing? Blake would be allotted a trial, that much was certain, but would they be allowed to speak for her? Surely they would be given credence; for two years, Blake had lived with the rest of the recruits, so they could attest she wasn't a spy. But would that be enough? What evidence could they _possibly_ have? It wasn't like Blake ever spoke out against the Humans. Sure, she might've made those comments about the Faunus, but that was just a misunderstanding, _certainly_ nothing worthy of the charge levied against her! How could anyone think that Blake- quiet, studious, soft spoken Blake- was a _spy_?

There was a cold stab of dread as she continued to pace, fighting against the urge to send a plume of flames at the door and make a break for it. She glanced at the clock again, noting only a minute and a half had passed since she last checked.

"Weiss, you're going to give _me_ an anxiety attack if you keep it up," Yang said, her tone light.

It was forced, that much was obvious, but she didn't acknowledge that little tidbit as she whirled to face her teammate. "How can you make jokes at a time like this?"

"It's the best time to," the blonde replied, Ember Celica stowing themselves with a flick of her wrists, shrinking down to the harmless size of bracelets. "Seriously, there's nothing we can do right now."

"That doesn't mean we act like nothing's wrong!" Weiss sighed, reining her volume in the moment she noticed she was shouting. "Look, I can't just sit here and pretend I'm not worried."

"We're _all_ worried." Ruby swung down from her bed, landing on the floor and positioning herself between Weiss and her sister. "Getting angry at each other won't fix anything."

"Neither will pretending we're okay." She pointed out, crossing her arms over her chest. "We should've been debriefed by now."

"Indeed." Three gazes snapped to the door- they completely missing when it opened- to see Captain Port stepping into the room with a small smile under his bushy mustache. " And I do apologize for the delay."

A sharp retort was on the tip of her tongue in a flash but a discouraging look from Ruby kept it at bay.

"It's alright, Captain. When can we see Blake?"

As the door hissed closed, the man's brows furrowed, lips pulling into a steep frown. "I'm afraid that won't be possible, ladies."

"Why not?" The edge in her voice was clear and some part of her was relieved to see Yang's eyes darken a shade or two, hands clenching into fists.

The subtle tells were utterly lost on their commander, though, clasping his hands behind his back as he walked further into the small room. Weiss was watching him like she had countless practice dummies, fingers itching to make a grab at Myrtenaster.

"I'm going to be frank: the trial for Miss Belladonna has already concluded. She's been found guilty of the charges against her." He sighed, turning towards the small window in their room. "Although I personally felt the evidence connecting her to the White Fang was flimsy at best, Miss Belladonna revealed her... heritage... after a brief interrogation."

"You mean you tortured her." Weiss didn't have the energy nor the presence of mind to acknowledge how Ruby or Yang were taking the news. Fury burned through her, a double edged sword. She outright _refused_ to believe that anything he said was true, stubborn to even entertain the thought that she had, perhaps, been blinded to the presence of a sworn enemy sleeping three feet above her head.

"We did what had to be done." Captain Port's reply was less than stellar, a crisp stating of fact, and the words fueled the rage threatening to break through her. "Miss Belladonna is a traitor to the Beacon Regiment and an enemy to Humanity. She will be put to death within the hour."

No.

There were protocols in place, regulations, rules she could recite at the drop of a hat- they couldn't just disregard them when it was convenient for the sake of simplicity!

No no no no no!

This was wrong! Blake was her friend, her teammate, she wasn't guilty! How could they just up and decide she deserved to die? She didn't!

"No."

Her restraint snapped, hand flying to the grip of her weapon and drawing it in the blink of an eye. Captain Port, no longer accustomed to field work, had at least the reflexes to turn and face her, but not the skill or speed to outmaneuver her. Even without Dust to augment her weapon's power, Weiss swung in a smooth arc that caught the top of his head, the force behind the blow knocking him out before her fell to the ground with a muffled thump.

Cold fury rolled through every cell of her body but, on the outside, she was a placid lake, apparently emotionless. She stepped over his limp form to open her locker, grabbing every last capsule of Dust she had and the emergency field ration she'd kept from their last training operation.

"Weiss!" Ruby seemed equal parts relieved and shocked, but whatever else she had to say was quickly muffled, Yang filling the sudden silence.

"So, what, you're just going to fight your way through the Beacon Regiment's headquarters?"

"Yes."

"Filled with some of the most talented and battle hardened Hunters in the world?"

She stepped over Port again to retrieve her pack, shoving most of the containers inside. "Yes."

"To do what?"

Weiss paused while opening Myrtenaster's chamber. Was Yang asking what her plan entailed or why she was about to do it in the first place? Looking over her shoulder, she saw the blonde barely struggling to keep her sister still, one hand clamped firmly over the younger woman's mouth. Something about the way those borderline red eyes burned told her it was the latter. Slipping the new containers into the chamber, Weiss snapped Myrtenaster closed and turned, keeping the blade pointed at the ground but ready to flinch up if the blonde thought to stop her.

"Blake's my friend and she's innocent." She squared her shoulders and raised her head. "I made the wrong decision by letting them taking her; I'm _not_ letting her pay for that with her life."

Yang nodded, a smirk claiming her lips as she released Ruby. " _We_ made the bad call, but _we_ will fix it. Ruby, just pretend we knocked you out-"

"Are you crazy?" The younger sibling instantly hollered, clamping her hands over her mouth the moment after and flicking her gaze towards the door. When it was apparent the disturbance wasn't going to be investigated, she continued at a more acceptable volume, conviction ringing in every word. "Blake's _my_ friend too! I'm not going to let you two run off without me! We're a team!"

Weiss felt her shoulders relax slightly, a small grin forming on her lips. "Then, we agree? We'll free Blake together?"

"This whole thing's probably a misunderstanding anyway." Yang grabbed her pack, starting for the door.

Ruby snatched Crescent Rose and her pack, flicking open the Scythe blade and resting the pole on one shoulder. "Right. Once we get their attention, we'll be able to _prove_ Blake's innocent."

Yang rotated her wrists as Ember Celica enveloped them, looking back at her teammates. "Uh, speaking of that... how are we going to find Blake, actually?"

Weiss and Ruby paused mid step. That... was quite the complication. Part of this ridiculous, heat of the moment plan relied on getting to their destination around the same time the rest of the headquarters became aware of the disturbance.

It would help if that destination was an actual place and not a vague idea.

In a flash of rose petals, their team leader disappeared and reappeared, holding Captain Port's scroll in hand and flicking through it quickly, smiling when she found what she was looking for. "Detention Cell Six, on the third basement level."

Yang cracked her neck. "And here I was worried it might be easy."

Weiss slid her pack into place, facing the door and mentally mapping the route they would need to take down to the third level. It was going to be a long, mad dash, but between her speed and Ruby's, plus Yang's sheer force of will, they stood a pretty decent chance of making it. The key was to keep moving, to push people out of their way but not strike to maim or kill. It was toeing the line of everything they were taught, but she wasn't about to stand by and let this happen without so much as objecting.

It just so happened their only option for objection was a bit extreme.

Yang pumped both arms, throwing a quick laugh over her shoulder as fire began to surround her. "Alright, let's go do something crazy!"

The blonde lashed out with both arms, fists impacting the wood about the same time the shots ignited, turning the entrance to their quarters into a pile of rubble. The guards stationed just beyond the barrier were caught off guard, buried under the debris and moaning in pain, but otherwise alright. Scrambling over the obstacle, Yang started running down the corridor, Ruby overtaking her with a flash of petals, and Weiss bringing up the rear, using her glyphs to jump over the treacherous footing.

A few unfortunate souls poked their heads out, drawn to the sound of the wall blasting apart, but most ducked back into their respective rooms upon seeing the three well armed and highly motivated Huntresses pelting down the hallway. Those foolish enough to try asking questions were either met with silence or vicious glares, cowing them into retreating back to whence they came. It was already well known around the base that messing with Yang while she was ensconced in her semblance was a bad idea, so seeing all three of them actively using their unique strengths was more than enough reason to simply look the other way.

Problems didn't arise until they turned towards the stairwell, where two men they could only assume to be replacement guards for their room were genuinely surprised to see them. It didn't last long enough, however, each Huntsman reaching for his respective weapon as they closed the distance. Yang cursed quietly, their targets too far for her to effectively use Ember Celica's concussive blasts, but Ruby had them covered, disappearing in a flash of petals and reappearing just behind the guards.

They tried to turn, but the young woman was much quicker, lashing out with the flat backside of Crescent Rose's blade to send one Huntsman dropping to the ground. Jerking to the side, Ruby caught the other across the jaw, sending him into the wall first before the ground, allowing her teammates to continue running past their would-be assailants.

Another turn and Yang was barreling through the door, taking the stairs three at a time while Weiss relied on her glyphs, convinced this would be the figuratively _worst_ time to trip in her haste. With each descended flight, her heart pumped faster, the same cold dread from earlier stinging her chest as they heard shouts from somewhere above them, muffled through wood and stone. When they reached the first basement level, the door on the landing burst open, more Hunters appearing and preparing to intercept them.

Without conscious thought, Weiss clicked over to the blue chamber and pulled the trigger, jabbing her weapon forward and sending ice crystals bursting forth, walling off the landing. Yang didn't miss a beat, vaulting over the railing to avoid the now frozen over area completely, her momentum never slowing. She half expected the blonde to make a joke about the cardio work out but, by some miracle, it never came, and they cleared the next landing without incident.

The third level, on the other hand, was a whole other story. The moment Yang kicked the door open, they were met with at least twenty Hunters, all with their weapons drawn and various semblances charging the air with a spark of violent potential. Yang slowed her pace but Weiss didn't bother, rushing past her teammate and clicking over to the next chamber. She wasn't keen on injuring anyone, true, but she wasn't about to let them stand in her way either, especially not when they were _so_ close.

Pulling the trigger, Weiss sent a bolt of lightning cracking through the air, striking the center of the ceiling above the first line of the Hunters in their way. With shouts of surprise, all of them bounded away from the falling debris, some closer and other further away. Those who came close were quickly met with swift, merciless punches from Yang, while those who moved away gave Ruby the clearance she needed to appear in front of them, brandishing Crescent Rose like one would a bo staff, careful to use only the flat side of the scythe to strike her opponents as she whirled it left and right.

Although tempted to move ahead and deal with the next wave of defenders, Weiss caught shouted orders coming from behind them and turned, raising her blade in time to deflect a concussive round shot at her from a new wave of Hunters, most likely those they'd thought trapped two levels above. Allowing the momentum of the round to carry her backwards, Weiss set her feet and cycled to the next chamber, calling forth a plume of fire with the next slam of the hammer coming down, trying to once again block the reinforcements.

It worked, for the most part, though she had to use a glyph to dodge the heavy iron weight of a kusarigama that sailed through the wall of flames. The excess speed had her slamming into the wall, winding her only briefly, before she was back in motion, hurrying after Yang and Ruby as the sisters alternated taking down their opponents. Ruby spent most of the progress up the corridor drawing the attacks of the other Hunters, appearing before them and disappearing a moment before a blow landed, giving Yang the window of opportunity she needed to deliver a quick, concussive punch.

Shell casings and Dust containers littered the ground, filling the spaces between the groaning injured and debris knocked down by various attacks. Still bringing up the rear, Weiss started using Myrtenaster as a crude method to dissuade the battered Hunters from getting up, delivering blow after blow to knock them back down as she moved. It was almost insulting to her precious weapon, using it as nothing better than a club, but the situation called for a different sort of finesse than what she was acclimated to using, treading the fine line between lethal and discouraging.

It was exhausting work. Every time it looked like their way was clear, three or four more Hunters would appear, snaking around through labyrinthine connecting hallways. Yang was sweating, though her smirk never faltered, defaulting to just her fists when her ammo ran out, their team given few enough breaks between waves that reloading seemed impossible. Ruby was also beginning to tire, constantly using her semblance to avoid the blows being directed her way and forced to alter her entire fighting style to keep from unintentionally killing their fellow Hunters.

Weiss was faring better, but only because she was bringing up the rear. Her left arm burned from exertion, tested every time a Huntsman or Huntress managed to slip in behind them. She was beginning to exhaust her Dust compartments, relying instead on her semblance, which was only serving to wear her down in a different way.

"There!" Ruby called, swinging Crescent Rose in a wide arc over her head and pulling Captain Port's scroll from her pack with the other hand. Without even noticing, they had managed to fight their way to their destination, the door to Detention Cell Three sporting several new nicks and dings from being the backstop to thrown bodies and deflected attacks. As their team leader fiddled with opening the door, Yang and Weiss took up a defensive position in front of her, standing back to back and trying to catch their breath.

"Still the best idea you coulda come up with, Princess?" Yang panted, sounding all the world like she was enjoying the battle as much as she riding her blasted motorcycle.

"Well, we could've gone the quieter way, but I wouldn't want you complaining of boredom," she managed to reply, wiping at her brow and checking the remaining Dust containers in her chamber.

The blonde barked out a laugh. "Wow, I didn't know it took a legitimately life threatening situation to bring out that funny bone in you!"

"I like to keep things interesting." She steadied Myrtenaster's tip as much as possible as more Huntsman appeared at the end of the hallway, helping up their fellows as they came closer. Weiss was weighing her options, gulping down as much air as she could to help her think clearly. Behind her, her teammate was doing the same.

"Ha, got it!" Ruby cheered, ducking into the room and standing by the control panel. "Hurry!"

Weiss actually thought Yang hesitated a moment before following her in, the two women barely clearing the door before Ruby keyed it shut and set about locking it down, disabling every override command Captain Port's scroll could access.

"Woo! Man, that was awesome! Better than any training I've ever done!" Yang was celebrating, most likely focused on her sister, words continuing in that chipper tone. But she couldn't hear them; Weiss was hardly paying attention to anything else in the room that wasn't what her gaze fell on when she entered.

There, in the middle of the room was Blake, practically buried under so many chains it made Weiss' already tired muscles ache, hands locked into towers set on either side of her, raised to be above shoulder height and painful to maintain, not to mention impossible to break free from, especially with her ankles shackled to the same pillars on short chains. Every chain was connected to another, crossing from leg to arm to torso, then back to one tower or the other, the weight of them all difficult to imagine. Still obscuring her face was the muzzle, flecks of blood covering the otherwise silver metal. Blake's head was bowed, lifting only upon hearing Yang's voice. Glazed over amber eyes, half lidded and unfocused, fell briefly on the intruders to this horrid place before she immediately sagged, cowering... the cat ears perched atop laying flat against her black tresses.

Weiss stared for a moment, unable to comprehend what she was seeing. It sunk in so slowly she could feel the moment the truth took hold: Blake _was_ a Faunus. She slowly set Myrtenaster at her hip once more, struggling to make the pieces fit, silence suddenly reigning through out the room and punctuated only by the occasional clink of metal on metal and the distant sounds of shouts beyond the door.

"Weiss?" Yang stepped up beside her, eyes flicking nervously between their bound teammate and her. She could feel Ruby on her other side, the sisters watching with tense stances, waiting for her reaction...

Waiting for what? For her to turn around and leave, forsake Blake after fighting to get here? Isn't that what she _should_ do? Here was the proof she demanded, as plain as day. Shouldn't that be enough? Was that all?

_"Did your hate for the Faunus drive you to Beacon?"_

Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, frustration tearing through her. The part that was most surprising was that the anger now eating at her wasn't directed towards the chained woman in front of her or the superiors who put her there. It was at _herself_.

_"If such a thing as an innocent soul exists among their people, I'd have no quarrel with them."_

Blake had never reacted to her sometimes thoughtless remarks about the White Fang, the rage and resentment she expressed regarding them never so much as eliciting a raised brow. Could she have been so mute if one were to insult _her_ father, _her_ family? Wasn't that what sparked the whole argument to begin with, before their fake mission? Or was it just her temper spiraling out of control, always too close to the edge when it came to personal matters?

And her _teammate_ had borne it all in silence.

_"Not that I expect to ever meet one."_

But she could've been trained for that, specially drilled in concealing her emotions, hiding her true allegiance. Wasn't that the entire point of a spy? But if that was the case, why shy away from them now? Blake was already caught; surely she didn't fear her teammates more than whatever pain had already been visited upon her. There was nothing left to fear, as her initial reaction to their presence indicated. It wasn't until she recognized _who_ was there that she shrunk back, afraid to face them.

Logic said that the Faunus was likely a traitor. Sent into Human society to gather intelligence and report back to the White Fang, slowly ascending the ranks of the premier regiment in the Hunter Corps, learning and observing from the shadows, until she was poised to bring about their ultimate demise.

Her heart said Blake was her friend. Quiet Blake, who sat on her bed and read old, tattered books and turned each page with care, who worked just as hard during every training exercise as the rest of her team, who would occasionally twist her lips into a small grin whenever Yang made a joke, and liked her coffee with milk in it. Reserved and restrained she may be but Weiss never got the impression she was any less sincere because of it, like when they'd made eye contact on the train, silently acquiescing to a truce. A truce _she_ suggested, for the sake of the team, not even requiring an apology on Weiss' part...

"I still owe her an apology," Weiss said, watching her teammates out of the corner of her eyes, waiting to see how they had processed the revelation. To her immense relief, Ruby let out a sigh and Yang dropped her shoulders, all three of them agreeing that their plan hadn't changed without saying a word about it. "We need to remove the restraints. She's not safe here any more."

"We can probably get to the sewers." Ruby's eyes moved, following an unseen map in her mind's eye as she slowly nodded. "I know it's not the ideal method of extraction, Blake, but it'll give you a shot at getting off the base and somewhere you can hide."

"I think I can handle that." Yang cracked her knuckles, heading towards one pillar while Ruby took the other. "Destruction _is_ my middle name."

"I think there might be a quicker way to release her-"

Everyone flinched as the klaxon of an alarm echoed from every speaker, the loud, grating siren layering on top of itself until it was impossible to think straight.

"No time!" Yang yelled above the din, snapping fresh ammo into Ember Celica.

Regardless, Ruby started frantically looking through Captain Port's scroll, trying to find a release command while Yang started wailing on one of the towers. Weiss, trying very hard to shove the portion of her screaming that _this_ was the wrong decision into the deepest corner of her mind, stood in front of Blake, noting that the klaxon's cry was excruciating for the Faunus' sensitive ears. Odd, seeing as other drills had never seemed to-

The bow. The black bow Blake always wore- now it made sense. It not only covered her most distinguishable feature, it must've also muffled noise.

Without hesitating, Weiss reached forward and cupped her hands over Blake's cat ears, trying her best to diminish the godawful sound that had _her_ wincing. Instantly, Blake drew back as much as the chains allowed, amber eyes wide and afraid, but she offered the same small smile she had on the train to her bound teammate.

"Blake! Blake, it's okay!" Mentally, she made a note to get some tips on how to comfort someone in a significant amount of distress, because that was literally all she could think to say. It had some effect, though, as the raven haired Faunus tilted her head forward, no longer shrinking back in fear. "It's going to be okay!"

Exhaustion must've set in, Blake only able to meet her eyes briefly before her head sagged forward once more. Weiss didn't know what to do, to keep her hands in place or abandon her attempt at lessening the Faunus' pain to help Ruby or Yang.

Her dilemma was short lived, however, as the klaxon abruptly cut off, the room suddenly drowning in silence.

"Um... did I do that?" Ruby stared, perplexed, at the scroll in her hand.

"No. I did." Ruby, Yang, and Weiss snapped their gazes back to the entrance they'd hoped would remain secure. There, flanked by some of the highest ranking and deadliest Hunters in the Beacon Regiment's history, was General Ironwood, _the_ commanding officer. His blue eyes, shades darker than her own, bore into the trio with a cold precision. "So, this is Team RWBY, hmmm? I'm not sure if I should be impressed or disappointed."

"I'm leaning towards impressed," Colonel Ozpin grinned from the General's right side, both hands resting lightly on the hand guard of his cane. "Down one team member and they managed to tear through over thirty senior Hunters. I'd say that speaks to their capabilities."

"Or their recklessness." Colonel Goodwitch interjected, peering at the trio over the tops of her spectacles, arms crossed over her chest. Standing as a mirror to her counterpart, Colonel Goodwitch lightly tapped her riding crop against her side. "We have nearly a full platoon of Hunters down because of this incident. Now is not the time to praise such indiscretion and our regulations have _very_ strict stipulations regarding such behavior."

" _Do not_ quote regulation to me because it's suddenly convenient." Weiss snapped, drawing Myrtenaster and focusing on holding the blade steady as she leveled its tip at General Ironwood. It was a supremely _stupid_ thing to do at this point but their only hope was forcing some sort of truce. If they surrendered, Blake was as good as dead, and if they fought, there was no chance for them to win. Not only were the General and his two best Colonels present, so too were the Lieutenants Malachite, plus Captain Torchwick and Major Fall. They were grossly outmatched and tired besides. They _had_ to bluff. "Regulation and protocol disappeared when you ordered our teammate _ambushed_ and denied us the chance to speak on her behalf. Where was your strict adherence then?"

"The creature you're so valiantly trying to defend is a _Faunus_ , Huntress. Regardless if she's been actively passing information back to the White Fang, she's a traitor." General Ironwood narrowed his eyes slightly. "She either betrayed us by falsely presenting herself as Human or she's betrayed the Faunus by vowing to kill her own people. To protect the integrity of the Beacon Regiment and Humanity at large, our only option is to terminate the threat."

"Blake is _not_ a threat though!" Ruby called, exasperation coloring her tone.

Weiss pulled Myrtenaster's hammer back. "There's nothing in the Hunter's Creed that dictates one must be willing to kill the Faunus. Blake pledged, as we all did, to defend Humanity against threats, which she has done faithfully."

General Ironwood sighed, running a hand through his graying hair. "You're limiting my options, Schnee."

"Let's just lay it all out, then," Yang said, pumping her arms and raising her fists, Ember Celica humming with the flames beginning to engulf the blonde. "Give Blake a fair trial or we bust her out of here."

"We don't _want_ to hurt any of you." Ruby added, chambering a round in Crescent Rose. "But we're standing by our friend. She's a member of our team; we won't let you take her without a fight."

"Guys." The voice was weak, lanced with pain, but still instantly recognizable. The three women turned as one, watching as Blake raised her head just enough for them to see her eyes, clouded over in agony. "Don't do this, not for me." Yang's arms lowered slightly, frowning in confusion. Ruby seemed nearly to the point of tears. "Just surrender."

Weiss blinked, then huffed out a breath, turned on heel, and raised her weapon again. "Shut up, Blake."

Colonel Ozpin laughed. "You're all a bit crazy, aren't you?"

"Oz!" General Ironwood snapped, giving the man a severe look. "The decision has been made. I sincerely wish we could've avoided this." He turned his head. "Torchwick, return to the ground level and coordinate the defenses. Malachites, your target is Rose. Fall, Goodwitch, take Xiao Long. Ozpin and I will handle Schnee." He paused briefly. "Just don't kill them. They might be salvageable."

Weiss didn't give them the chance to move, pulling the trigger in tandem with Ruby. Two blasts of ice crystals launched at the assembled officers as Yang charged, one fist already cocked back as flames engulfed her form. If anything, the preemptive strike should give them a chance against the superior and more experienced Hunters.

_Should_.

It really didn't.

The Lieutenants were the first to counter, the twin sisters renowned for their close quarters combat tactics and techniques, with one- red shadowing her green eyes and claws covering her hands flashing dangerously- jumping over the wall of ice while the other- blue eye shadow and blades on the heels of her boots- cut through the barrier with one well timed kick. They dashed towards Ruby even as she fired again from Crescent Rose, dodging in different directions but closing the distance too quickly for the younger woman to line up another shot. As Ruby switched back to the scythe form, both officers were on her, lashing out with their respective weapons.

Yang, on the other hand, met her targets head on, throwing her fist forward at the same time the ice crystals were melted away by Captain Fall's twin blades, fire dancing along the edges. Before the blow could connect, however, Colonel Goodwitch lashed out with her riding crop, the seemingly flimsy weapon spinning the blonde away with a flick of the Colonel's wrist. Yang managed to stay on her feet, throwing a haphazard swing against the officers pressing her, working to dance between the biting blades and the crop.

Weiss wished she could've helped them but her own opponents were daunting. Colonel Ozpin broke through the ice with that infuriatingly simple grin still in place, adjusting the placement of his tiny glasses while General Ironwood brought the rest of the barrier down, hands empty. Without hesitation, she pulled the trigger again, but this time neither man waited for her attack to come. The Colonel ducked beneath the stream of ice, bringing his cane up and launching a plume of fire from its tip.

Weiss quickly stabbed Myrtenaster at the ground, pulling the trigger again as she summoned a glyph, morphing the ice into a shield to keep the flames at bay. She quickly retreated, moving away from Blake so the attacks directed at her wouldn't accidentally hit the Faunus. There was a chance they might break the restraints instead, but Blake was in no condition to fight.

Rather than be distracted by the ice wall formed in front of her teammate, both officers seemed to anticipate her movements, Colonel Ozpin stabbing forward with his cane the moment he was within range. Weiss parried and tried to land a blow herself but had to quickly jerk back, General Ironwood's fist missing her chin by mere inches. She lashed out immediately, trying to put distance between herself and the senior officer, but the Colonel swung his cane around, hitting her across her gut.

The breath was knocked out of her and she stumbled back, activating a glyph to send her much further away from her opponents as she righted herself, but only Colonel Ozpin stood before her when she lifted Mytenaster again. The General, on the other hand, was a step behind her, and she was barely able to whirl around in time to lift her weapon in defense. Much to her surprise, a single gloved hand impacted Myrtenaster's blade, the force of the blow causing her arms to shake. His other fist impacted just below her ribcage a second later, once again stealing the breath from her, and the distraction allowed for yet another punch to land squarely on her jaw, sending her spinning into the ground.

She outright _refused_ to go down so easily, allowing her momentum to carry her through a clumsy roll and finding her footing again, summoning yet another glyph beneath her. Rather than remain on the ground level of the detention cell-turned-battlefield, Weiss jumped up, calling another glyph into existence at her highest point and repeating the action. It was exhausting, but she needed some sort of space to catch her breath and her bearings and height provided her a distinct advantage.

Aside from her heavy panting and her pulse pounding in her ears, Weiss could make out the telltale booms of Ember Celica's ammo and the sharp slicing of Crescent Rose through the air, but they were nearly drowned out by the seemingly endless string of attacks directed at them. Before she could look to see how her teammates were faring, General Ironwood somehow- _somehow_ \- launched himself into the air and Weiss had to jump away before he landed another hit. She tried to summon a glyph to catch her but, unfortunately, her energy was waning and the thin projection merely broke her fall.

She stumbled, nearly tripping over her own feet, and just barely raised Myrtenaster in time to deflect the Colonel's initial strike. He was obviously anticipating that, though, seeing as the glancing blow was enough to offset her defense and she was too slow to recover, suffering a strike to her ribs and another to her head. The world spun, stars appearing briefly that she valiantly tried to blink away as she parried the next attack, but it was a distraction.

She wasn't able to turn in time to block the General's fist, which solidly landed against her temple.

As Weiss fell to the ground, she groaned, the exchanges traded throughout their hastily assembled plan exacting their toll at that moment. Every breath burned her lungs, the world unfocused just beyond her nose as the extent of her exhaustion weighed her down further.

"Ruby!"

Yang's voice rang out and Weiss forced herself to her hands and knees, looking around in time to catch as Ruby was knocked to the ground, the Lieutenant's claws slicing thin red lines through her shirt and upper left arm.

On the other side of the room, Yang's fire burned brighter, blood red eyes flashing dangerously as she crossed the distance, solely focused on obliterating her sister's attacker. She never saw General Ironwood coming, his fists clenched together and raised above his head. In her haste to fight the Lieutenant, she didn't think to block his attack, the blow coming down on her head with such force, her body cracked the concrete floor beneath their feet when she hit it.

Yang bounced once and rolled, the fire formerly engulfing her form snuffing out as she came to a stop, head lolling to the side.

"Yang!" Ruby tried to stand, as did Weiss, but the younger woman was smacked back down with one solid blow of Colonel Goodwitch's crop.

"I admire your conviction." Weiss turned her head to the side, blinking blearily at Colonel Ozpin. "And I hope this doesn't break your spirit."

Another blow from his cane sent her slamming back into the ground, the energy drained from her completely.

Weiss wasn't sure which pain was the worst to bear: the agony her body was in or the fact they'd failed.

Probably the latter.

"Well. That was actually more challenging than I anticipated."

"Is now the appropriate time, Colonel Ozpin?"

"Come, Glynda, must we be so formal?"

"Colonels, control yourselves." General Ironwood cut in, sounding like he hadn't even broken a sweat in the fight. "Lieutenants, report."

"Outer defenses are reporting difficulty finding the White Fang's entry points and escape routes; they've breached the perimeter at various locations but there's no indication of an exit strategy yet," one said, sounding at least a bit winded, much like her sister.

"Enemies have been sighted within auxiliary buildings in small groups. Highest number of sightings are being reported from Charlie Building."

"Captain Torchwick reports they're attempting to breach the armory." Major Fall added, slight amusement in her tone. "I would almost think they're not too interested in saving their captive operative, if they're even aware she's here."

General Ironwood grunted, his shoes scuffing the ground as he walked. "Perhaps not. No matter. Lieutenants, remain here and watch the... prisoners. The rest of you, come with me. I'll not have it said that a pack of mongrels bested this Regiment under my watch."

The other officers turned to follow as Weiss clung to the last shreds of consciousness she had. In was a fool's hope, but if she could recover enough of her strength, she might be able to get the drop on the Lieutenants. She wouldn't have to do much, hopefully, and maybe Ruby would wake up too. Getting a weakened Blake _and_ an unconscious Yang out of the base without detection was a far cry from a feasible plan but... it was all she had, aside from giving up.

Despite the heavy implication that Blake _was_ every bit the spy the General claimed, Weiss outright refused to believe it. Maybe it was stubborn pride but there was a glimmer of a chance she was entirely justified.

Maybe how much she wanted to be right outweighed all the evidence against her.

"Militia, why did we get stuck watching a bunch of sleeping kids?" One of their guards complained.

"Because we can't order someone else to do it," the other replied, sighing. "I can't believe the White Fang were actually able to breach the perimeter."

"Did you see how many there were? Our intelligence reports have been... severely underestimating their strength."

"How long do you think they've been planning this?"

Weiss took a chance, lifting her head slightly and biting down on the urge to cry out as pain lanced through her neck. She turned her head towards where Ruby lay, red cape covering her, with Yang not much further away. She could tell by their breathing that they weren't entirely unconscious, the curling of Yang's fingers too tight to be done without effort. That was an advantage she hadn't dared to hope for; now, all she had to do was signal them and hope whatever strength remained in their bodies was enough to overpower the Lieutenants and free Blake.

In the chaos of the attack happening elsewhere, they might be able to escape.

Before she could think of anything, though, the door opened and the officers sprang into action just before a short burst of gunfire, the crackling of several types of Dust mixing together ringing throughout the room. Both Lieutenants cried out and another scuffle ensued, likely White Fang operatives coming to free Blake.

... but what if they _didn't_? What if they decided killing Blake was the better option?

Gathering up her strength, Weiss forced her muscles to cooperate as she pushed herself up, limbs shaking with exertion. To her immense relief, Ruby and Yang were moving too, though the blonde seemed distinctly uncoordinated and clutching her head.

"Get them too."

Shit.

Weiss looked up just in time to catch a cold blast of ice to her chest shot by a Faunus with a grizzly sneer and the signature mask of the White Fang, sending her sprawling easily. Ironic, she thought as the chill set in, that she would be brought down by something so reminiscent of the very emblem emblazoned on most of what she owned, including the bolero she wore. As her awareness of the real world began slipping away, she heard the White Fang operatives clambering around the room, talking to Blake, and tearing at the chains binding her.

Her last thought before she surrendered was that at least their plan wasn't a total failure; Blake would survive.

She could take a modicum of comfort from that.

* * *

So many things had happened in such a short amount of time, Blake's mind was somewhat sluggish in processing the events. Since waking up in the detention cell beneath Beacon's main building, she'd endured harsh questioning and even harsher agony as her former superiors forced her to reveal her true allegiance. While there wasn't much to tell on that front, the discovery of her ears was enough to condemn her in the eyes of General Ironwood. She was actually a bit surprised her death sentence hadn't been carried out that very moment, the Colonels arguing in her favor and postponing the inevitable.

When they left, she had no means of marking the passage of time but resigned herself to her fate. It was a risk she'd accepted long ago and though the reality was pretty bad, it could've been worse. She couldn't imagine being faced with the reactions of her teammates, the women she'd come to trust and respect. At least she'd be given that small mercy.

Fate had another plan in mind, though. For a second time she was surprised when they appeared looking breathless and haggard, obviously forced to fight their way down to the cell. Blake had no doubts they were strong enough to do so but it tore at her seeing the shock set in, the realization that the risk they'd taken had been for naught.

She could see the confliction in Ruby's and Yang's eyes, the slight betrayal overridden by their unshakeable loyalty to the team they'd forged together. Then Weiss- strong willed, opinionated, sometimes outright arrogant and ignorant _Weiss_ \- stood by her and covered her sensitive ears to dampen that awful noise as the alarm blared.

In twenty years, Blake had never been so close to tears over an action so simple. It lit something deep within her, reigniting the steely determination that had pulled her through every rough patch in the road thus far. She focused all her will into invigorating exhausted muscles, poised to make a mad dash for freedom once she was released.

Then things took a turn for the worse.

She thought the weight of the chains binding her was unbearable, but listening to her teammates fight and fall was ten times worse, all the while Blake remained immobilized by her restraints. It made her lips curl into a snarl and ears flatten, the beast within her yowling with unrestrained fury at being so helpless. She wanted Gambol Shroud- locked in a case not four feet away- in her hands, not to kill the officers but to defend her friends.

But as each of her teammates grew limp and hit the ground, she could do nothing more than pull against her bonds and glare at the General as he left. It went unnoticed, of course, but she _would_ make him pay, she swore it. Somehow, even if it took her dying breath, she'd find a way.

Then the doors opened and White Fang soldiers began pouring into the cell; Blake almost felt relieved. She hadn't believed anyone would come to free her- they had no reason to- but seeing the Faunus entering the room and overpowering the talkative Lieutenants could only be a good thing, if she played her cards right.

And then Adam appeared, the horned Faunus she remembered in dusty recollections of a life forsaken, tinged by anger and sadness.

"Blake." His lips turned up slightly in a grin. "It's been a while."

"Adam." Her ears twitched as she fought to keep her tone light and nearly conversational. "Here to save me?"

"This is just coincidence. We've had standing orders to bring you back, _if_ we ever found you," Adam replied, lips pulling into the smallest smirk. "You've always been a lucky one." He motioned towards the Fangs under his command. "You two, kill the Humans. The rest of you, get started on these restraints."

"Wait." Blake thought fast, forcing herself to remain calm even as the lie left her lips. "Those two are officers. Their scrolls are linked to their life signs; killing them within the building will trip the alarms and lock down the floor. You'll be trapped here until their reinforcements arrive."

Once upon a time, the horned Faunus might've been able to see her deceit for what it was, but that was long ago. She could see him weighing her words before turning his head. He wasn't one to be overly cautious, so he must've bought it. "Fine. Kill the other three then."

A growl rumbled through her chest as her ears flattened against her skull, nevermind the chains still holding her. "No, Adam. That's _my_ team."

"Claiming Humans as your own now?" There was anger tinting his tone, lips pulling back to display pointed teeth. "What are they, your _pets_ or your _masters_?"

She didn't back down, meeting his masked gaze with unwavering determination, the same as the others did for her against the officers. "I'm not sure if you noticed, but they were already injured when you got here, and a significant amount of Hunters were as well. They were trying to free me."

"What stopped them?"

"The command team."

Adam paused, mulling over his options. "Fine, but they're _your_ responsibility." He turned and issued new orders to the Faunus following him, having one secure the weapons while others carried her unconscious teammates. "Smalt will want to see you when we get back. Don't forget your place."

"Don't forget yours." Blake shot back, somewhat pleased when he looked away first and feeling the stab of guilt at how easily she slid into a role she never wanted.

But the moment her eyes fell on Ruby, Yang, and Weiss, borne unceremoniously by the Fangs she once called brothers and sisters, the guilt disappeared. There was only one way to keep them safe, and if it meant essentially making a deal with the devil, then so be it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: And the plot thickens.


	4. Challenger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Nope. Got nothing.

* * *

Damp. It was the first thing that registered to her mind as she slowly ascended to the conscious world, followed swiftly by the stiffness in her muscles and joints. Part of it was from the cold, hard surface she was laying on while the rest came from the strenuous battle that... occurred... when, exactly? How long had she been out?

"Yang! I think she's waking up!" Ruby's voice, far too excited given recent events as far as she was concerned.

"Hey, Princess." Yang smiled as she blearily blinked the world into focus. "How're you feeling?"

"Miserable but alive, so I'm counting that as a good sign," she replied dryly, groaning as she sat up. They were in some sort of cave, the black stone surrounding them reflecting the minimal light emitted by... what looked like glowing rocks scattered naturally throughout the crude walls and ceiling. "Where are we?"

"A White Fang stronghold of some sort. Maybe their main base," Ruby said, glancing at the open archway that served as the entrance to the room. "There's at least six of them sitting out there."

"And we can hear you." A monotonous but distinctly feminine voice called, briefly preceding the appearance of a Faunus with one of their characteristic masks slotted neatly around massive ram horns, catching the low light eerily. Black curls cascaded down her back and over her shoulders, her frame relatively wiry but her stance speaking of confidence and slight indifference. She scanned them briefly before speaking over her shoulder to an unseen counterpart. "Notify the Alphas immediately."

Weiss looked to her teammates, mouthing the title with a quirked brow. Both women shook their heads, bodies tensing as they glanced at their only escape route. Her muscles were already cramping in protest against the thought of further physical activity but Weiss readied herself regardless.

"Don't bother trying to escape." Their guard seemed to be watching them from behind that insufferable mask. "The Alpha ordered us not to attack you but..." the Faunus subtly shifted, allowing the whip on her hip to become visible as she traced the handle. "... escape will _not_ be tolerated."

Weiss took a deep breath and released it slowly, frustrated at her lack of options. Perhaps the day before, she was just a Huntress in the Beacon Regiment, and now she was a prisoner of the enemy and likely to be branded a traitor by her own people, all for following a ridiculous impulse. Pushing herself back until she could rest against the wall, Weiss tilted her head until she could feel the cool stone pressing against her scalp. At some point, her hair lost its typical ponytail, the loose strands falling around her shoulders in a disheveled state. She probably looked as bad as she felt, especially if her teammates' visages were anything to go by, but she wasn't really of a mind to fix it.

What was the point? She really didn't have the energy to worry about something so silly while waiting for whatever swine had brought them down here to arrive.

Instead, her thoughts turned to Blake. If her present surroundings were any indication, _logic_ was the winner, the _right_ choice, not whatever stupid notion took hold of her back in their formerly shared quarters. It should've burned her, brought forth that temper that seemed so easy to spark before, but she felt... nothing. Just an empty, hollow feeling where the anger and pain should've been.

Numb.

What was she thinking? Arguing protocol was one thing but attacking the command team? The highest ranked officers in the most prestigious regiment of the Hunter Corps, and she thought she could beat them? How ridiculous was that? In hindsight, their defeat was inevitable and it slightly bothered her that she chose to classify the situation as a 'defeat' rather than a 'failure'.

Because they did accomplish their goal: they presumably saved Blake's life. In exchange for their lives, most likely.

If they were lucky.

"Hey." Weiss looked up, noting the concern on Ruby's face. "It's gonna be okay."

She was silent for a moment. "Did we do the right thing?"

The sisters exchanged a brief glance before Yang spoke, absolutely no doubt in her voice. "Yeah, we did. Maybe things didn't turn out so great, but we did the right thing. If Blake's here-"

"If she's here, she's one of _them_ , Yang." Weiss pointed out bitterly, shutting her eyes against the harsh reality of that simple sentence.

"But she's also one of _us_." Ruby instantly countered. "You still trust her, don't you?"

She _did_. Even after everything, she trusted Blake. Against all logic and evidence and barefaced truth, she could vividly recall the look in those amber eyes when they're locked gazes on the train and hundreds of times before that. The real fear in her eyes as she was bound and the appreciation for what little comfort Weiss could provide. She _trusted_ Blake despite the obvious betrayal.

"Yes. I trust her." Weiss opened her eyes, absentmindedly tracing the scar over her left eye. "However, given my history, I'm not sure how much that matters."

If the White Fang soldiers who'd managed to capture them hadn't figured it out yet, they were bound to discover her identity soon. She was a Schnee, a sworn enemy of the White Fang all over Remnant; getting through this whole ordeal _just_ to die- and nothing else- would probably be a blessing.

"Blake won't let anything bad happen." Yang interlaced her hands behind her head, looking far too comfortable given their surroundings. "She's out there and she'll figure something out. You'll see."

The three were interrupted from their conversation by sounds echoing from the darkness beyond their holding cell, the Faunus guarding them stepping aside as the presumed Alpha approached. Again the three Huntresses tensed, preparing to defend themselves or make a break for it.

A Faunus with floppy dog ears the same color as his shaggy grey hair and forgoing the usual White Fang mask stepped into the dimly lit room, dull grey eyes scanning the Humans within. "You three, come with me." He paused. "Please."

Weiss looked at her teammates. They were just as conflicted as she was, acknowledging that they were prisoners of war, essentially, but that their newest guard was significantly more... amicable than they were expecting.

Slowly, they rose, Weiss gritting her teeth behind her lips as she fought to hold her head up high. She half expected the Faunus to strike her, try to beat the defiance out of her, but he merely turned and started walking, the ram horned Faunus falling into step behind Yang as they proceeded through the darkness.

If this was the White Fang's stronghold, no effort was put into adapting it to a livable space, the rock of the corridors narrowing and widening sporadically as they wound through the connected caves. The same naturally luminescent gems embedded in the walls, ceiling, and floor provided the only light, though that didn't seem to bother the Faunus they passed. Some wore the masks while others didn't, all scurrying away from them as they moved, quietly walking... somewhere.

"Do we get to know where you're taking us?" As usual, it was Yang whose patience ran out first.

Their guards came to a halt, the one leading them turning peer at them over his shoulder. "No."

"Alright. Just... thought I'd ask." The blonde sighed.

Rather than continued on their way, the Faunus turned to fully face them. "Any other questions?"

The shift of fabric indicated Ruby most likely raised her hand. "Can we get some food?"

"No," the Faunus replied. "Well... not right now. After... we'll see."

"Okay." She could hear the smile in Ruby's voice and she didn't know if she was exasperated with the younger woman's optimism and cheer or amused by it.

Then grey eyes fell on Weiss and there was only one question she could think to ask. "Is Blake okay?"

"She's fine." The Faunus shrugged. "Ordering your executions seemed to cheer her up."

Weiss' face fell as her heart seemed to cave in on itself. She couldn't believe it. After everything-

She rocked slightly when the Faunus socked her shoulder in an supposedly playful gesture, wearing a lopsided grin as he chuckled. "Ah, I was just kidding."

"You were _what_?" Weiss huffed, glaring as she was openly laughed at, hands clenching at her sides. "You're horrible."

"The Human has a point." The ram horned Faunus sighed. "That was an awful joke, Skifer."

"Oh, come on, Radia, it was funny! You just didn't see the looks on their faces." The Faunus leading them- Skifer, apparently- turned and started down the corridor again while Radia prodded them from behind. They walked in silence for a bit before he spoke again. "If you're inclined to listen to advice, I'd tell you three to drop the strong and silent acts. Be... genuine."

"Um... not to put too fine a point on it, but how can we be sure you're giving us good advice?" Ruby hesitantly offered.

"Skif's jokes are terrible but his advice is good," Radia said, still sounding as monotonous as when she first spoke. "Smalt's crazy; the only way to beat crazy here is to be passionate."

"Smalt?" Yang laughed. "Who's that?"

"One of the Alphas. You'll see," Skifer replied as they rounded a corner. "Brace yourselves."

As they passed through another archway, the group entered a large chamber with a hole in the ceiling that allowed moonlight to pour through. By her guess, Weiss supposed they'd only been unconscious a number of hours, given how much was pouring into the space.

Like every other section of the sprawling caverns, there seemed to be nothing intentionally set or crafted, except for the open space in the very middle of the cave. All around the space were rocks, some small and some large, with the biggest opposite where they entered. Every one of those rocks had a Faunus seated atop it, some with ramrod straight posture while others were lounging on their chosen seat.

Only Blake stood, turning to face them as they entered. There were bruises and red marks littering her exposed skin, the last testaments of what her aura hadn't yet completely healed. She wore nothing to hide the ears atop her head, which flicked occasionally as sounds echoed in the open space with every movement as their appearance drew more attention, but her amber gaze was just as unwavering as ever. Scattered around her feet were the packs and weapons of her teammates, Gambol Shroud slung across her back as usual.

"Go stand behind her." Skifer directed, nodding towards Blake. "And don't bother trying to whisper. Everyone in the room can hear you anyway."

Weiss nodded but said nothing, trying to reconcile the churning in her gut with the empty void from earlier. She wanted to be angry with Blake, to curse and yell, but honestly, she was just so damned relieved to see her again. She clung to it- she was doing a lot of that, recently, set adrift as she was from the simple order of routine- and kept her gaze carefully focused on a spot on the far side of the room. She wasn't ignoring Blake, per say, just remaining composed. If she looked into those amber eyes she might do something she'd regret.

"Hey, Blake. You doing okay?" Yang was wearing her usual, easy going smile.

"Yeah. Were you three treated well?"

"Well, as far as imprisonments go, I'm pretty sure we're doing alright," Ruby replied, earning a chuckle from her sister.

"Now that your _pets_ are here, can we finally proceed?" The Faunus seated at the top of the biggest rock drawled, hawkish features extending past the wings adorning his back. "This meeting has very little to do with them and more to do with your inexcusable absence."

"For the last time, _I'm not one of you_ ," Blake said, clearly frustrated with repeating herself, ears flattening in annoyance as she leveled a severe gaze at the avian Faunus. Weiss spared a moment to marvel at how expressive Blake was when her ears weren't hidden. It was... incredibly distracting. "This is a pathetic farce."

"The only reason you claim to not be one of us is because you didn't completely accept-"

"No, Smalt, I'm not one of you because I _choose_ not to be, nothing more." She narrowed her eyes. "Your head may be too thick to grasp this, but I'm not interested in becoming part of what _you_ have created. If this was what you deemed was worthy of risking the lives of our brothers and sisters, you would've been better off leaving me to die."

"Oh, so the Humans could use their technology on you, hmmm?" Smalt pulled his lips back and bared his teeth, looking positively manic as he leaned forward. "Dissect you like an animal and learn the secrets of the superior race?" His gaze- golden with grey flecks- flicked to Weiss. "Oh, perhaps I should be more specific, given your chosen company."

Weiss rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest but remained silent.

"Oh ho, so the heiress has nothing to say, is that it? After all these years of your father murdering our kin in Atlas, enslaving our people the world over, you have nothing to say to defend your actions? No grand speech about how you poor Humans are the victims?" He waved a gloved hand tipped with metallic talons. "Come now; here you have a whole pack waiting for your impeccable justifications for your father's campaign. Are we not entitled to hear them?"

"What my father's done is indefensible." Her eyes met the White Fang leader's, brows knitting together in a scowl. "And so is killing a child in his sleep. My cousin was barely two years old. What could his crime _possibly_ be?" She paused, lowering her head slightly. "Or was, at any rate. What in his two years of life did he do to warrant his murder?"

Smalt laughed, a scathing sound that reminded her of nails on steel. "He was born Human."

Yang scoffed. "And you act like _she's_ the racist."

"Aside from providing some _wonderful_ entertainment, I don't think we're actually getting anywhere." One of the Faunus sitting on the smaller rocks called out, looking thoroughly unimpressed with the events and toying with some sort of pendant around his neck, his monkey tail swaying gently in the air. "For instance, what was the charge again? Who's even on trial? What's going on?"

"Yeah, I second those questions." Ruby added. "'Cause I'm confused."

Smalt shot a glare at the younger Faunus before sneering down at Blake. "We're here to determine if Blake Belladonna is guilty of failing her duties to this pack and to the Faunus people!"

"Correct us if we're wrong, Smalt," a significantly older Faunus said, his voice a rumbling timbre as he sat forward, moonlight glinting off the tusks protruding from his wrinkled cheeks. "But, by your definition, Miss Blake is not a true Faunus. How can she be held accountable for her actions?"

There was a moment where Weiss could see the barely restrained amusement evident in many faces. It baffled her how this Smalt character was somehow allowed to be the leader of the White Fang when the rest of the Faunus seemed to consider him a joke, right up until he turned a wicked smile on Blake.

"That can be rectified, actually." He peered down his long nose, absolutely gleeful as he explained. "Here we have present a member of the Schnee family. I see no reason not to... forgive Blake her indiscretions if she can prove herself a _true_ Faunus and eliminate one of our greatest enemies." Smalt chuckled lowly. "That's not too hard is it? Kill the Schnee and take your place. I'll even let you keep your other two Humans."

"Not a chance." There was no hesitation on Blake's part, one hand lifting to grip Gambol Shroud's handle. "And her name is Weiss. She's not _just_ a Schnee just like I'm not _just_ a Faunus." She drew the weapon, scabbard and all, and pointed its tip towards the White Fang leader. "We can be more than what _you_ deem us, Smalt. Each and every one of us. _That_ is why I left the Fangs, to find a place where I was judged on my own merits and not the expectations of a crooked old lecher."

There were murmurs of agreement and dissent, the noise growing into a din that threatened to spill into more violent argument, all the while Blake and Smalt never let their gazes deviate from the other.

Weiss glanced down, seeing Myrtenaster by her feet. Beside her, Ruby and Yang were eying their weapons as well, fingers twitching eagerly to reconnect with Crescent Rose and Ember Celica respectively.

Logic said that reaching for a weapon, given the present tension rising in the chamber, was a really bad idea.

But she hadn't listened to logic in regards to Blake for a while now, so she didn't see much point in listening to it now. Stooping down, Weiss scooped her weapon into her hand, raising it to mirror Blake's posture, eyes focused on Smalt across the chamber. Out of the corner of her vision, she could see that Ruby and Yang had done the same, the blonde holding out one encased fist while Crescent Rose caught the moonlight. Blake hadn't flinched when her teammates stepped up beside her but glanced to either side once they were set.

"Thank you." Her voice was soft but sincere, soothing the stinging betrayal still fresh in Weiss' mind.

"We're a team," Ruby said.

"Yeah, we've got your back." Yang added, obviously itching for a fight.

Weiss felt her lips tug, and she wasn't sure if she was inclined to smile or frown. "We'll talk about it later."

"Fair enough," the Faunus replied as the chamber grew dead silent, all eyes upon them once again.

Smalt was furious, his wings buffeting the rock beneath him as the metal talons scratched into its surface. "You would defy me."

"I _am_ defying you." Blake corrected.

Faunus all around the chamber shifted, ready to spring, and Weiss doubted many of them were inclined to assist them as opposed to attack them. Thinking quickly, Weiss tried to find something that would either level the battlefield or tilt things in their favor.

Only one thing came to mind.

"If I surmise the situation correctly, there's a claim that can be challenged." Her voice was even, Smalt's beady eyes flicking to her immediately. "Blake's yet to become whatever you desire for her and I'm willing to duel on her behalf."

Smalt laughed, shaking his head. "And what makes you think you can, Human?"

"Actually... she has a valid point." The older Faunus with the tusks shifted, turning his head towards the Faunus leader. "You want to place Miss Blake as the Alpha female but the point remains that she is not a 'true' Faunus by your standards. If you can bend your own definition to preserve her... place... well, I see no reason to deny the Human a chance to challenge."

"It is _your_ rule, Smalt." The blonde Faunus with the monkey's tail chirped from his spot, a grin on his lips. "Once a mating claim's been placed, it can be challenged until it's accepted."

There were mutterings and odd looks between the assembled Faunus but Weiss' attention was focused on a specific phrase. She turned her head slightly, hissing despite the warning not to whisper. " _Mating_ claim? _That_ is what this is about?"

"I wasn't calling him a lecher for nothing," Blake said softly, Gambol Shroud lowering a fraction of an inch. "I'd rather not consider it too heavily."

She couldn't help but agree, suppressing the shiver that struck through her at the mere thought... and the burning anger that accompanied it.

"I see." She blinked, took a deep breath and lowered her weapon, popping open Myrtenaster's chamber as she raised her voice over the din of the Faunus' sidebar conversations. "Then I challenge Smalt to a duel of honor for Blake." With a push of a button, she ejected the Dusk containers, each tinkling as they hit the stone floor. "The first to yield withdraws their... mating claim."

"You can't be serious." Smalt recoiled, wings pressing against his back, but others weren't allowing him to shrink away completely.

"What's the matter, Smalt?" Weiss watched as a man wearing a slightly more detailed Faunus mask than the usual ones sat forward, red hair and black horns rising from the white mask. "You can send every warrior in the pack out to fight the Humans en masse, but you can't handle one little girl?"

"Shouldn't you be _jumping_ at the chance to fight a Schnee?" Another called, grizzly features throwing a heated glare at Weiss. "I know you say all of _us_ should."

The White Fang leader was coming under verbal assault from more and more of his followers as the din grew and Blake took the opportunity to look at her, brows knitted together and ears facing forward.

"Weiss, you don't-"

"Shut _up_ , Blake." She stepped forward, in front of her teammates, and raised Myrtenaster's tip once more. The last time she'd fought in earnest without using Dust was at least two years ago, when they were undergoing their battle assessments during the initial battery of trials to be accepted as Recruits, but that didn't bother her. Most of her training before becoming a Huntress was without the augmenting power of Dust and Smalt would probably underestimate her, as many opponents did.

Not that she was slightly anxious about abandoning the crutch, of course. She still had her Semblance and her technique; they had to count for something. And failure was _not_ an option.

"Very well," Smalt finally said, wings spreading wide as he reached down behind the rock and pulled a spear into view. "I'll accept your challenge, Schnee." With a beat of his wings, the Faunus landed at the edges of the cleared space, twirling the spear in his hand with practiced ease, though she noted the actions were relatively simple. She had half expected him to use the talons and those alone, seeing as he appeared so enthralled with the 'natural' order of things. "Perhaps I'll give you a matching scar for your other eye."

"Or ten minutes of entertainment." Weiss watched him, blocking out the onlookers and distractions, gauging how her enemy reacted to taunting. She hoped he would have a shorter fuse than Yang; while it meant she was in for a fierce beating at the start, it provided her the tactical advantage in the long run.

"There's the haughty Human." Smalt sneered at her, pointing the tip of the spear's blade in her direction. It wobbled slightly, a contrast to Myrtenaster's unwavering point, but that could as easily be a sign of an unskilled opponent as it could be a ruse. "I will show you no mercy."

"Unsurprising." She shifted her stance slightly, preparing for the inevitable attack. He had the superior reach but the weapon could be unwieldy if she got in close enough. First, she would have to gauge his reaction time and fighting style. "The White Fang has never shown me any before. Why start now?"

Wings spread wide as a sick grin split his face, he switched to a two handed grip as he started slinking around the edge of the cleared space, baiting her into circling him in turn. She didn't fall for it, following him with her eyes as he moved left and right. When he determined he would have to be more aggressive to provoke a reaction, he took a few steps towards her and swung his spear in a wide arc.

Weiss didn't budge, correctly judging the distance and watching as the spear's blade sailed harmlessly past Myrtenaster's tip.

"Not easily spooked, is that it?" Smalt narrowed his eyes. "Or just incredibly arrogant?"

" _Very_ bored," she replied and mentally ticked things in her favor as his expression twisted.

Then he launched at her in earnest, wings beating and propelling him forward, and that was a compensation she would have to pay special attention to as the fight continued. Rather than another sweeping attack, he stabbed at her, which she sidestepped without attempting to bat the strike away. As far as she was concerned, now was the time to force her opponent to show his hand while keeping hers as concealed as possible, and that included how the motions she'd drilled into muscle memory were still ungodly painful.

Smalt followed his initial stab with a few arcing slices, switching between his hands as he continued pressing forward, trying to close the distance. Weiss kept him just out of range, ducking beneath the spear, keeping light on her feet as she moved backwards around the cleared space. Then he went low, forcing Weiss to jump to avoid having her feet taken out from under her. Her feet had barely touched the ground again when he lunged forward, striking out with those talons, sharp metal tips gleaming in the moonlight.

With a flick of her wrist, Myrtenaster struck his forearm, knocking the intended attack off target, sharp metal tips briefly biting into her arm as she ducked under his wing to get behind him. He instantly whirled, assisted by his wings, the spear's blade slicing through the air and forcing Weiss back a few steps, and the two faced each other once more. Luckily, his attack hit her off hand, doing very little to limit her combat capability.

"Ha! Is that all you got, you overgrown canary!"

"Yang! I'm pretty sure that's rude!"

"Hey, if he hadn't been a jerk, I wouldn't _have_ to be rude. Really, it's his fault. You hear that, bird brain?"

" _Yang!_ "

Smalt lunged forward again, using both hands to control a series of stabs that had Weiss twisting left and right, lifting her arms and keeping Myrtenaster from meeting or deflecting any of the thrusts. She needed to save her strength, so she continued dodging until he swept low and forced her to jump again. The manic gleam in his eyes tipped her off and she summoned a glyph beneath her feet before falling back down, narrowly dodging the next thrust of his spear.

"You missed, bug breath!"

"I don't know why I try with you anymore."

He looked at her with utter irritation, drawing his spear back to try again. Rather than wait for the incoming blow, Weiss backflipped away and mentally prepared herself for her counter attack. She hadn't _wanted_ to reveal her Semblance this early in the fight but she still had some tricks up her proverbial sleeve. Readying her blade, Weiss waited for Smalt's next attack, which was the predicted wing aided lunge.

This time, she allowed their weapons to meet, batting the spear's tip away from her harshly with a full motion of her arm, sending the pommel of the weapon into Smalt's side while she used the rebound energy to smack his face with Myrtenaster's blade. She had to instantly duck down and roll away to dodge a swipe of talons, but righted herself and moved back to gain distance.

"BOOM, baby!"

Weiss spared a glance at her teammates. Predictably, Ruby was watching the events intensely and betraying only a small amount of amusement with her sister's antics while Yang was cheering with all the excitement of a child at their first tournament. What caught her attention was that both sisters were wrapped around Blake, the blonde doing the body of the work in holding the Faunus in place while their team leader did what she could, and Blake... she looked absolutely _livid_ , amber eyes glaring daggers at Smalt with her lips pulled back in a feral snarl.

Weiss acknowledged the small trill of satisfaction that shot through her and filed it away for later, refocusing on her opponent. Deciding for a different approach, the White Fang leader tried utilizing the advantage of his long weapon, making several arcing slashes in her direction that she once again managed to dodge, retreating with every attack, baiting him into following her.

Truth of the matter was, Weiss was exhausted. At her best, she could probably tear Smalt apart; his technique was awful, driven by savage brutality and little else, and she had the benefit of training against the likes of Yang, something he sorely lacked. However, what little rest she'd managed to get hadn't put her back to one hundred percent. Her muscles wouldn't be able to keep up much longer and revealing her Semblance meant her opponent would either force her to continue using it or exploit it somehow. Neither particularly boded well for her.

After a particularly vicious slash that caught the edge of her jacket, Weiss made her move. Instead of retreating, she jumped to the side and activated a glyph, rushing past Smalt. He turned to follow her, only to find Myrtenaster's blade slicing towards him and nearly cutting his chin as he jerked away. Weiss didn't retreat though, following up with a solid strike against the spear's pole and flicking her wrist around to once again parry a talon strike. Tilting the blade down, she telegraphed an obvious diagonal slash aimed at his torso and Smalt responded by using the spear to block, gripping it with both hands.

It was then that Weiss got a sense of the strength packed into the White Fang leader. Perhaps for the first time the entire fight, her calm mask fell away as her face pinched in concentrated focus and effort. Luckily, that just made him cocky.

"Where's your taunting now, Schnee?"

She had half a mind to spit in his face. It's what Yang would've done, surely- in fact, she'd just suggested as much- but she'd proposed an honorable duel and she would at least be a woman of her word. Rather than reply, she allowed her expression to worsen, as if she was seriously on the edge of her arms giving out, elbows no longer locked out in front of her and instead nearly caving in, Smalt drawing ever closer. She could smell his rancid breath as he pressed harder and she could feel him preparing for one final shove, which she was counting on and hoping for, which he preceded by lessening the pressure against her minutely before giving it his all in an effort to dislodging her footing.

Instead of sending her off balanced, Weiss conjured another glyph, allowing Smalt's force and her own subtle pushing off to propel her backwards. Absent the answering force to keep him in place, Smalt took one step forward to compensate while she called upon another glyph, this time using her own strength to send her rushing at her opponent. She slid as she reached him, slipping beneath his beating wing and clumsy swipe of his spear.

Smalt turned, expecting the same tactic as the last time she'd rushed past him, but Weiss was no less than a foot from him and low, completely dodging his blind, wide swing and surging up, pressing Myrtenaster's tip into the soft flesh of his neck, just beneath his jaw.

Yang whooped. "Check and mate!"

He took a step back; she took a step forward.

"If you kill him, you'll take his place." She refused to look away from the avian Faunus in front of her but heard the suggestion clearly, coming from somewhere behind her. "That's his rule, too, ya know. Kill the Alpha, become the Alpha."

There was hushed mutterings around the cavern, half arguing against adhering to that particular rule while the others maintained its validity, devolving into a ridiculous display of bloodlust fighting reason. Slowly, the tension in the room rose until it was nearly suffocating.

"Yield." She commanded with all the authority of someone holding a life in her hands.

Smalt looked down at her and, for a moment, she honestly thought he would try something foolish and force her hand. An honorable duel, however, was never a threat to the participants' health. To draw her blade across his throat right now, as easy as it would be, would discredit her.

She was pleasantly surprised when he blew a deep breath out through his nose and beat his wings. "I yield."

Silence reined for a few moments.

"Well... that settles that, now, doesn't it?" One of the Faunus ventured as Weiss took two steps back and returned Myrtenaster to its rightful place on her hip.

"Not quite." The tusked Faunus drawled, his head swinging towards Blake. "Miss Blake has final say, of course."

Weiss' eyes flicked to the older Faunus, lips turning down slightly. Her hand went back to the handle of her weapon, fully intending to draw it. " _That_ is a decision she'll make when she deigns to do so. If anyone feels like challenging that or forcing her to make that decision before _she_ wants to, I will _not_ be as charitable in my next duel."

It was bravado on her part. That last burst had drained her more than she'd cared to admit and she could feel her body demanding both nutrition and rest. But she wasn't about to back down, shoulders squared and ice blue eyes falling on anyone who so much as _looked_ as though they would object.

There was a bit of hushed mutterings echoing through the chamber, and the red haired Faunus with the mask looked as though he might press Weiss to back up her threat, but everything stilled abruptly. She could hear the soft but deliberate footsteps behind her, turning her head slightly to see Blake's approach. The rage that burned so brightly before was subdued now, though it flared back to life when she glanced Smalt's way.

Blake stopped a few paces away, prompting Weiss to turn and face her fully. A terrifyingly jumbled mess of emotions suddenly bloomed as the adrenaline from battle wore off, each too new and strange for her to properly process in her current state. Before she had the opportunity to even try addressing or deciphering them, everything was pushed aside as Blake stepped closer, hesitating for only a second before slowly raising her arms and pulling the heiress into... a hug, if she wasn't mistaken.

Huh. Well, this was new. Not a _bad_ kind of new, mind, but new; Ruby and Yang were more apt to invading personal space than their quieter teammate.

There was a brief pause before the embrace was returned, Blake's hold tightening reassuringly. "Thank you, Weiss."

She sighed, surprisingly content with the warmth in her chest. "Shut up, Blake."

To her surprise, the Faunus actually chuckled softly, the two of them separating after a few moments. Ruby and Yang were by their sides almost instantly, handing Weiss her pack and offering congratulations- Ruby in the form of hastily spoken words that passed too quick for her to catch and Yang in the form of a not-so-gentle punch to her shoulder- and she felt at peace for the first time in entirely too long, her team reunited despite all the uncertainties currently floating around them.

Smalt made a show of using his spear to climb back atop his rock, scraping his talons to produce as much noise as possible, it seemed. Once satisfied he was appropriately perched and their attention was on him, he huffed. "Now that your allegiance has been determined, leave. You are no sister of the Fangs, Blake Belladonna, and no friend to the Faunus."

The proclamation was met with steely silence from the assembled Faunus, Blake's voice steady as it filled the space. "Goodbye."

Blake turned, heading out of the chamber, and her teammates followed quickly, not too keen on getting lost or provoking the White Fang any further. Weiss was a little surprised they were allowed to walk unmolested through the caves and tunnels but certainly didn't want to jinx it, hoping they could get away from the White Fang stronghold and somewhere they could rest.

They walked longer than the first trip, following twists and turns until the crystals providing light slowly began to fade out, plunging them into darkness. Blake, of course, could still see relatively well and remained at the front, one hand trailing behind her, firmly clasping Ruby's in a chain so they wouldn't get lost. Weiss slightly cursed how tired she was, trailing behind Yang as they began an arduous climb, as much because of the continued torture her muscles were enduring as she was by her place at the back of the group.

Finally, everything evened out, leading to a large cave that opened to a forest beyond, the moonlight giving it a serene appearance. The four of them came to a gradual stop at the mouth of the cave.

"So... what now?" Yang set her hands on her hips. "Don't get me wrong, this has been fun and all, but, uh... where do we go?"

"Where _can_ we go?" Weiss sighed, rubbing her temple.

"Well, we can't return to base and we can't stay here." Ruby shrugged, looking towards Blake. "Is there a small town nearby we can keep a low profile for a while?"

"No. We chose this location because of its isolation." The Faunus frowned, ears twitching slightly. "But I don't think determining a destination is our first priority."

"Really?" Yang raised a brow, face going slack as a low growl echoed through the cave. Weiss tensed, hand going to her weapon at the same time the blonde wrapped her arms over her stomach. "Ah, geez, I forgot how hungry I was!"

Ruby whined, her own stomach rumbling after hearing her sister's. "Me too."

Weiss pointedly ignored the sympathy pain in her own gut, reaching for her pack and pulling out the field ration she'd packed. Split four ways, it wasn't much, but any sustenance was a very good idea at this point.

"Heh, leave it to Weiss to think of everything." The blonde smiled, relaxing her posture though she still absentmindedly rubbed her belly. She didn't seem entirely pleased with the prospective meal but it wasn't like they had much choice in the matter.

"Well, we might as well move into the forest." Ruby ran a hand through her hair. "I doubt that Smalt guy wants us hanging around here."

The sisters started moving and she made to follow but stopped when she noticed Blake hadn't budged. Her ears were flicked back, not in anger or fear but with purpose, and Weiss found her gaze was drawn to the appendages. How had she never suspected such from someone she watched so closely? Was that a reflection on Blake or herself?

She was pulled from the musing as panting echoed through the cave along with the scraping of boots on stone, two shadows slowly taking the forms of Radia and Skifer, the latter bearing some sort of bundle in his arms.

Blake turned around and greeted them with a nod of her head. "Radia, Skif. Don't tell me Smalt changed his mind."

"He'd need to find the blasted thing first," Skifer gruffly replied, surveying the four of them before shoving the pack in his hands into Yang's chest. "Too heavy?"

"Nah, I got it." The blonde shouldered the pack, adjusting it as Radia- far more gently- offered something square and wrapped in cloth to Ruby.

"It's hot." Was all she offered by way of explanation before stepping back, the two Faunus exchanging a quick glance before the shorter one turned and started back towards the stronghold.

Skifer waited a moment before turning his grey eyes on the four of them again, lingering on Weiss before finally settling on Blake. "Hey." He paused. "You may come back a little stranger, but you're never a stranger when you come back, yeah?"

Blake ducked her head. "Unlikely. But I'll keep it in mind."

"Good." He turned, heading back into the cave. "Safe travels, sister."

"Easy goings, brother," Blake replied, turning and nodding towards the forest. "Let's go. Skif and Radia might buy us some time but Smalt's bound to do something incredibly stupid soon."

"Okay, what's his deal?" Yang spoke up as they started into the forest, following a worn footpath through the trees and brush. "If he's the leader of the White Fang, why is he... uh..."

"An idiot?" The Faunus huffed, ears twitching slightly as they walked. "Because he's a zealot who knows how to motivate and cultivate other zealots and his slightly more reasonable rhetoric was extremely compelling _before_ he came to power. Since he assumed his role, though, he's devolved into a genocidal, short sighted, manic lecher."

"Why didn't you oppose him?" Weiss pushed forward, past Yang and Ruby until she was walking side-by-side with Blake. "They seemed to hold you in _some_ regard and they weren't exactly supportive of _his_ suggestions."

"Most of them would rather see someone else as the _Alpha male_ ," Blake said, lips curling slightly into a frown at the title before her expression smoothed out. "But Smalt _does_ know what he's doing when it comes to keeping the Faunus from the brink of extinction. You heard the Lieutenants. The Faunus presence in Vale is the strongest in Remnant, much larger than even Beacon's aware of, and that's all Smalt's doing. Opposing him would cause a schism among the Fangs, dividing their strength and making them easy targets for..."

They continued on in silence for a few minutes, the unsaid end of Blake's sentence obvious. The forest wasn't too difficult to traverse and they soon came upon a larger path that allowed them a bit more room to move.

"So... what's the Alpha female thing about?" Ruby broke the silence, looking at Blake with naïve curiosity.

The Faunus groaned softly. "It's not like it sounds... exactly. He wanted me to take the position years ago but... I couldn't."

"What was he forcing you to do?" Weiss cut in, eyes narrowing as her temper flared. She almost regretted letting him live, all dependent on how Blake answered the question, but she had plenty to be upset about already, so it really was a matter of whether or not the next words out of Blake's mouth would loosen her tenuous grip completely.

Rather than answer immediately, she slowly came to a stop, eyes falling to stare blankly at the leaves and grass at her feet. The others stopped one by one, watching their teammate until Blake finally looked up, squaring her shoulders and speaking softly.

"Do you remember the strategy and tactics class during our first year? How the instructor used the recent attack on the village in the southwest as an example of... excessive civilian casualties?" They all nodded, vividly recalling the most grievous death toll in recent years due to a White Fang attack. "I was supposed to lead that assault as my initiation to the position of Alpha female. I was supposed to lead the Fangs against the Humans while Smalt dealt with the others and grew our numbers." She glanced away. "But Smalt never wanted to stop, not until every Human in Vale was dead, and then Remnant. When I realized he'd adopted the concept of absolute genocide, I couldn't stay and be part of it. So I left." Her gaze slowly swung back to them, ears drooping and expression turning contrite. "I'm sorry-"

" _Sorry_?" Weiss snapped, stepping forward, invading Blake's space. "And what, _exactly_ , are you sorry for, Blake Belladonna?" She reached forward, fisting the Faunus' shirt. "The part where you failed to mention you are an ex-White Fang operative? Or, maybe, that you were considered a high priority target by a faction seemingly dedicated to the extinction of our species? Or, possibly, it has something to do with your superior tactical knowledge that could've prevented the casualties of our comrades? Or _perhaps_ you'd like to apologize for concealing the fact that you're a Faunus, which would've been a _fantastic_ tidbit of information to be privy to, now that we're addressing that point!" Weiss turned, pulling the Faunus in her grasp and slamming her back against a nearby tree. " _What exactly do you feel compelled to apologize for, Blake?_ "

Her little tirade had robbed her of breath, and as she paused to catch it a few things occurred to her. One being that she's _never_ , in all the time they'd known each other, been capable of throwing Blake around nearly as easily as she just did. The next being all the doubts she'd felt since entering the detention cell, the question burning in the back of her mind.

_Had she done the right thing?_

The problem, she realized with startling clarity, was that the definition between 'right' and 'wrong' within her own mind had flaws. There was no question if she was doing the right thing when she thought Blake was _Human_ ; there was doubt when she discovered her teammate's true heritage, born from a prejudice that was simultaneously misplaced and validated. But that was only if one removed a very important aspect from the equation: she trusted Blake. Blake had _earned_ her trust. Through deceit, perhaps, but that wasn't the Faunus' fault.

It was _hers_.

" _You_..." She trailed off, taking a deep breath to steady herself and take the edge out of her tone as her anger faded. "You don't have _anything_ to apologize for, Blake." She released the fabric in her hands, allowing her arms to drop to her side. "Although you _should_ have told us the truth... I can understand why you didn't." She stepped back, meeting Blake's gaze and offering her a small, sad smile. " _I_ am the one who owes an apology to you, all of you." Glancing briefly at Yang and Ruby- both of them looking entirely confused by the turn of events, it seemed- Weiss sighed, feeling the regret pooling in her gut. "If I hadn't... chosen my words so poorly on several occasions, you might have felt comfortable enough to be truthful with us. We could've been prepared, then, for the chance of our superiors discovering your identity and taken measures against it." She once again met Blake's gaze. "If anyone is responsible for this whole mess, it's me, and for that, I am truly... sorry."

Her anger fled, no longer in the clutches of the enemy, and finally at peace with her own actions- there was very little keeping her going in that moment. Her vision blurred, the full weight of her exhaustion settling on her shoulders and dragging her towards the ground. The fight against the officers and against Smalt, not to mention the relatively minor scuffle with Grimm on the train, all without proper nourishment or rest had finally exacted its toll as her energy flagged and she pitched forward, ready to crash into the ground.

She never met it. Instead, Blake quickly closed the distance, catching her mid stumble.

"Weiss!" Ruby was by her side, Yang a step behind her and both sisters looking extremely worried. "We need to stop, at least for a little while."

"We could all use the rest." The blonde shifted the pack on her back.

Blake looked around quickly and nodded in a direction away from the path that Weiss couldn't see. "That way."

Ruby and Yang started walking and Weiss willed her body to follow. Her world tilted on its axis, though, as she was carefully scooped into Blake's arms. It wasn't entirely uncomfortable- quite the opposite, actually- and it was becoming increasingly more difficult to retain awareness as the Faunus effortlessly carried her through the brush and around trees, her even gait producing a pleasant rocking motion. Slowly, she felt sleep trying to claim her and she relaxed fully as her eyes slid closed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Radia is based on Aradia Medigo, from Homestuck, and Smalt is based on Quinze, from Mobile Suit: Gundam Wing. If you're not familiar with either of those characters, just know that I absolutely had to go with Quinze as a base for the leader, seeing as he's the White Fang leader in GW. No, seriously, there's a terrorist organization in GW called the White Fang. It was just TOO easy. And he's just as crazy as shown here.


	5. Now What?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Don't own anything and, congrats, you're halfway through. Time for a break.

Blake picked her way through the forest's brush carefully, paying special attention to anything that might disturb Weiss in her arms. The last thing she wanted was to bother the woman who'd fought hard and valiantly on her behalf, twice in the same day. She was still processing Weiss' words and just... _everything_ , because several incredibly significant events occurred in sequence with very little time inbetween to process them. It was easier to push those things to the side for the moment and, instead, focus on finding them an adequate spot to settle down, at least until sunrise. Like most of the Faunus who resided within the den, she remembered the forest surrounding it with almost perfect clarity, and it was only a matter of time before someone tried tracking them down.

She just worried who it would be.

In her mind's eye, she could still see Adam's reaction just before they left, the subtle tension in his posture releasing all at once. Either he'd accepted her decision or given up on her, Blake couldn't be sure, but there was something final about things this time. She didn't just slip out in the middle of the night, avoiding patrols and heading towards the nearest Human settlement; everyone would soon know _exactly_ what she'd done and what was done for her.

Regret wasn't the word for what she felt but there was a certain amount of nostalgic remorse. Even Skifer's perfect recall of their last conversation before she left the first time brought with it a bittersweet memory. But there would be time to focus on the past; now, she was needed more than ever to keep her teammates alive.

"Ruby, go left." Her voice was soft but easily cut through the stillness of the forest around them. "Towards that big oak tree."

"Okay." Their team leader shifted course, still dutifully carrying the package imparted to her. "Where to after that?"

"Nowhere," Blake replied, glancing around and comparing the almost imperceptible markers to her memory. "This is as good a spot as any."

"We couldn't pick a clearing or something?" Yang lightly complained, kicking at the rocks and twigs littering the ground beneath the tree.

"They'll probably check the clearings and paths first if Smalt reverses his decision to let us leave." Her sister surmised, looking to Blake for confirmation. When she received a nod, the young woman smiled. "I guess we won't have much time for rest, huh?"

"Not likely." Blake moved to the tree, carefully shifting Weiss from her arms to sit her up against the trunk. Although bleary eyed, her teammates stirred, blinking at the others in askance. Rather than leave it to Ruby or Yang, she knelt down and put a hand on the white haired woman's shoulder, speaking softly. "We're going to stop and rest for a while, Weiss."

"And eat." Yang huffed, setting down the pack and plopping down next to it. "You still have that ration?"

"Forget the ration!" Ruby laughed, having opened the package from Radia, which contained four earthen bowls with makeshift tops, the scent of delicious food wafting up as the small blanket was pulled away. "This smells _so_ much better!"

She quickly passed out the bowls, pulling off the top to hers and taking a deep whiff. Blake had to suppress a smile as she looked at her own, fond recollections of listening to Skif drone on and on about flavors and seasonings and being begged to bring back spices from missions that raided Human supply lines jumping to the forefront of her mind. Those were simpler times and far out of reach now, but she treasured the memories all the same.

Setting the bowl down for the time being, Blake started heading back the way they came, determined to do her best to erase evidence of their passing and pausing only briefly as she heard Weiss speak.

"What, no utensils?" There was a hint of feigned indignation, prompting Ruby and Yang to laugh.

"Wait, there's some chopsticks here." As their leader passed over the wooden sticks, Blake allowed herself a small smile. "Have you ever used them before?"

"I understand it requires fine motor control, which I might be distinctly lacking at the moment," Weiss replied a bit dryly. "But, I might as well try."

"You don't have to sound so disappointed about it." Yang joked, their voices becoming indistinct as Blake continued on her way.

Alone with her thoughts, Blake started to process how drastically things had changed since the day before. The mindless task of hiding their tracks provided her a rhythm to follow as she combed back through her memories, starting the night she left the Faunus den the first time to abscond to the Humans' domain. Every decision, every risk, and every surprise replayed themselves in a loop. The past twenty-four hours, however, took precedence, from being ambushed on the train to her imprisonment, her team's attempted rescue to Adam's arrival, returning to the den to leaving it for good.

At the center of all these memories was Weiss. Stubborn, head strong, exhausted Weiss, currently fumbling with chopsticks, probably while complaining, which Ruby and Yang would tease her about no doubt, and just picturing the scene brought a strange and nearly troubling amount of peace.

Because, really, things looked horrible for them: being likely branded traitors by the Hunter Corps and definitely rejected by the Faunus left them with few options, especially given their skillsets. Sure, there were some small communities dotting the countryside that could always use another gun or sword to help keep the Grimm at bay, but it would only be a matter of time before they were discovered and forced to flee by a patrol from either side.

But as she started back towards the oak tree, Blake felt content for the first time in... maybe ever. She had what she wanted: acceptance. It came at a steep price, though, which meant she would do anything it took to protect her teammates from further harm.

They'd already sacrificed so much for her.

Blake stopped just before the others noticed she'd returned, observing the scene before her. Yang was using her chopsticks to shovel as much food into her open mouth as possible, barely pausing to chew the mixture of vegetables, meat, and rice before swallowing. Ruby was ingesting her portion at a slower rate, savoring the taste and texture of every third bite and devouring the ones inbetween. Weiss, on the other hand, was fumbling with each attempt, looking as though she was falling asleep in the process.

Even covered in battle grime and head nodding in an attempt to remain conscious, Weiss still held herself proudly, her air of quiet dignity such a contrast to her surroundings, like a single beam of moonlight, striking through the gloom of clouds, beautiful and impossible to obscure. This was the woman she'd entirely believed would never accept her fully barely a day ago; the same woman who went through hell twice over just to give her a chance of living freely and sacrificed her own freedom in the process.

"Blake!" Ruby called, startling her out of her observation. "Everything okay?"

"Yes." She nodded, striding forward and settling down beside Weiss, gently prying the bowl and chopsticks from loose fingers.

"Hey. I was eating that." The objection was weak and subtly relieved, as though she was genuinely glad someone had taken the utensils from her. Instead of replying, Blake gathered up a small amount of food between the wooden sticks and offered it to the white haired woman.

"You were trying." She gently corrected, pleased when there was no further argument, Weiss accepting the arrangement with a soft hum. For good measure, the Faunus shot a warning look at Yang, discouraging any attempting at making light of the situation. There was a glint in the blonde's eyes that promised she'd considered commenting on the spectacle but she said nothing, much to Blake's relief. "How does it taste?" Weiss made a pleased murmur that vaguely sounded like a word while Ruby and Yang lavished compliments on the cooking, especially in contrast to their prospective meal of a standard field ration split four ways. "Good. It's Skif's specialty."

Blue eyes narrowed slightly but it was Ruby who spoke up, eyes shining with curiosity. "Those two Faunus, Skifer and Radia... were they your friends?"

Blake turned the question over in her head a moment as she continued feeding Weiss. "I... suppose so. Radia and I were trained by Adam, so we usually did infiltration missions together; we were partners, in a sense, when Adam wasn't around. Skif... we fought a lot at first but we got over it at some point. He always made sure to keep some food warm for us when we got back from wherever. He liked looking after us, when he could."

"He was like your big brother, then?" Weiss interjected, forgoing her meal to ask the question and looking anywhere other than Blake.

Her ears twitched slightly as she tilted her head, a ghost of a laugh passing through her lips. "I suppose we all see each other as brother and sister to some extent, part of Smalt's pack mentality." She offered the bit of food trapped between the sticks again and Weiss grudgingly ate it. "But, yes. Outside of the Fangs, Skif's probably the only friend I had. The other civilians didn't want much to do with me once Smalt's intentions became clear."

"Civilians?" Yang paused, chopsticks halfway to her mouth, the last dregs of rice falling between them as the blonde raised a brow. "I didn't know the White Fang had civilians."

"That's because you're Human. No offense." Blake shrugged helplessly. "The Fangs are like the Hunters, a collective name for our soldiers; Faunus choose to don the masks and fight or remain in the dens and provide community support. The 'White Fang' name is a Human label." She averted her gaze, ears drooping slightly. "Radia and I were practically raised by the Fangs, so we chose to fight; Skif escaped from the Dust mines in Atlas and wanted to cook."

Her teammates nodded in understanding, returning to their food as silence settled over them once more. The quiet sounds of the forest were soothing, nearly lulling Ruby and Yang to sleep as they finished their bowls. After a bit of fussing with the pack, the sisters found a few essentials tucked away, including crude blankets and some dried meat, plus a pot and a few hot rocks.

"These are why that pack's so heavy." Yang groused, preparing to toss the rocks away before Blake stopped her.

"They're infused with Dust." The blonde raised a brow. "It's how we keep warm in the winter and cook inside the caves. Try it."

With a shrug, Yang focused on the rock a moment before the veins of Dust began to glow, emitting a low heat that nearly had the blonde dropping it in surprise. Ruby, already wrapped up in one of the blankets, immediately stuck a hand out with a wide smile.

While the sisters continued manipulating the hot rock, Blake fed the last bit of food to Weiss and grabbed her own bowl. While she'd managed to grab something to eat upon returning to the den, the Faunus wasn't about to let one of her old favorite meals go to waste and she certainly wasn't lacking in appetite, given recent events. She didn't object when she felt Weiss shift and lean against her, her teammate likely on the verge of passing out again.

"Hey, Blake." Her ears twitched, gaze shifting to meet Yang's lilac eyes. "What was growing up like for you?"

"We've talked about our childhoods to death," Ruby said, exchanging a smile with her sister. "But you've never talked about yours."

"Only if you want to, of course." The blonde offered, grabbing two of the blankets and passing them to her, careful not to disturb Weiss. "We're just curious."

"Shouldn't we wait for a better time?" She briefly glanced down at the white hair on her shoulder.

Weiss either felt her head move or inferred as much, voice thick with sleep but still holding a startling amount of lucidity. "I'm perfectly awake and attentive, if that's what you're asking."

Blake thought it over for a moment before starting at her earliest memory, the first time she was taken down to the caves and caverns that constituted the den. She talked about the things she remembered fondly: slowly accepting her new surroundings, the thrill when she found something she could do well, discovering her Semblance and training alongside Radia and Adam, fighting with Skif about silly things, getting lost in tattered books, and staying up late dreaming about a better future for the Faunus.

But she didn't shy away from the things that plagued her, during those years and since. How the world she'd accepted started to change, Smalt's evolution to a ruthless, nigh mindless beast, Adam's fanatical devotion to his agenda, Radia's withdrawal from her fellow soldiers, and Skif's constant if understated support. She recounted the missions that left her feeling queasy- 'infiltrations' that didn't end with stealing supplies and 'sabotages' that went beyond disabling vehicles- until she reached her first day in the Human's world, so far removed from the one she'd known.

By that point, Yang and Ruby were nodding off themselves and Blake was half certain Weiss had fallen asleep at some point between the recounting of her last mission as a Fang and her decision to leave the Faunus behind.

"Why'd you do it?" She blinked, refocusing on Ruby as the younger woman smiled. "Leave, I mean. Couldn't you have gone to one of the other kingdoms? There's White- er, Faunus there, right, ones who don't follow Smalt?"

"I could have, yes. Sometimes, I wonder why I didn't." Blake tilted her head back, gazing up at the night sky through the leaves overhead. "I guess I wanted to prove what Smalt refused to believe, that we're not that different from Humans and we're not animals. Maybe there are some things that set us apart- my ears, Smalt's wings, Adam's horns- but... those don't matter, not really. I think, anyway."

"We really _aren't_ that different," Yang said, yawning as she laid down and stretched out, the blanket thrown haphazardly over herself. "I mean, there's a lot of similarities between the, uh, Fangs and the Hunters, when you think about it. I'm sure Weiss could break down the differing policies and stuff but, I dunno, it's kinda uncanny."

"I _could_ do that," Weiss said, voice slurred as she struggled to stay awake. "But I'd rather not, right now."

" _Right now_ , you should sleep." Blake pointed out, only slightly surprised when the white haired woman provided no rebuttal, instead sinking down to the ground without complaint. The Faunus grabbed one of the blankets and carefully laid it over her exhausted teammate, brushing her hair back from her face as Weiss dropped off into unconsciousness, eyes alert for any sign of discomfort. When she looked up, Yang was smiling at her. "What?"

"I didn't say anything," she replied, though her cocky grin said otherwise. Without elaborating, the blonde turned on her side, back to Blake, while Ruby settled down close to her sister with the hot rock between them.

Blake got up to fetch another hot rock and set it next to Weiss, keeping an eye and ear open for any sign of distress. Although not as tired as her teammates, the temptation to join them in slumber like back in their barracks room at Beacon's HQ was very, _very_ hard to resist. Instead, she propped herself against the tree trunk and watched the stars overhead between the leaves, lightly dozing in between stretches of alertness.

* * *

As dawn broke, Weiss willingly refused to open her eyes and greet it, instead remaining curled up beneath the coarse blanket with her head tucked into the crook of her arm. Her back and arms hurt, cramped from over exertion, and her stomach was already beginning to demand food. She usually woke first, followed swiftly by Blake, then Ruby, and then Yang sometime later, and she never really 'slept in' as a general rule, but at the moment... she could feel the warmth radiating from a hand on her shoulder, which she really didn't want to lose quite yet. It was comforting and grounding and... _such_ a welcomed respite from the past day.

They would eventually have to get up, of course, and head out in some unknown direction, tackle the looming uncertainty that was their future. For the moment, it could wait. Peace would become a precious commodity and she wanted to soak up what she could before it was shattered.

"Weiss?" The hand on her shoulder tightened briefly. "I can tell you're awake."

"Five more minutes," she mumbled in reply, still refusing to open her eyes.

A gentle laugh, like the tinkling of bells. "Please don't make a habit of that. I don't think we could survive having two Yangs on the team."

Huffing in feigned annoyance, Weiss rolled onto her back and opened her eyes, her vision almost immediately filled with Blake looking down at her, upside down from her perspective.

"Morning." Amber eyes caught the faint light of dawn, shining like jewels above her. She could get lost in that gaze, if she had the courage to try. "How do you feel?"

"Better." She closed her eyes and stretched, muscles crying in agony only briefly before loosening. In her mind, she kept trying to construct sentences, anything to keep the conversation going, but they fell apart at the thought of the question she wanted to ask: what were they now?

She could brush it off as meaning their situation overall. That was an option, an interpretation of the words, but Weiss couldn't really care less about that. Joining the Hunter Corps meant leaving behind her expected position as the next head of the Schnee Dust Company and using force to free Blake meant leaving behind any aspirations to the illustrious officer ranks. Sometimes, the things left behind weren't worth what lay in front of her, and she understood that.

But... that didn't entirely erase the fear associated with abandoning the known to dive into the unknown and there was the little problem that she was being entirely ridiculous. Despite the events of the past day, 'what they were' was exactly as before. Blake was her teammate; Weiss was hers. Nothing had changed.

No matter how the little voice in her head kept insisting that _something_ had, that something inside her had shifted and was demanding attention.

"Did you get any sleep?" Weiss finally managed, settling back and opening her eyes.

"Some." Blake flicked her ears slightly. "I would call them 'cat naps' but I doubt Yang would ever let me hear the end of it."

"Right." She sighed, studying the way the Faunus looked in the strengthening light, how her unbound ears moved. "Did it hurt? Keeping them hidden?"

"Sometimes." They flicked back briefly before standing straight up, almost as if Blake had to consciously keep them from laying down in annoyance. "On the long days when we were in the field, they would cramp up. I got used to it by the second year, though."

Weiss cracked a small grin. "Well, that certainly explains why you were very adamant about your shower time."

The Faunus shrugged, unwinding one of the ribbons from her wrist. "It was the only time I could be me."

She said nothing at first and frowned, unsure if she should apologize further, but sprang into action the moment she realized what Blake was doing. Reaching up, Weiss smacked the Faunus' hands away, glaring as much as she could from her position. "Don't you dare."

"Excuse me?" Blake raised a brow, an action she commonly associated with curiosity morphed into one of hesitance when coupled with her drooping ears.

"Don't you dare reach up and bind your ears after you _just_ finished telling me it's painful!" Weiss hissed, more to force herself to be quiet rather than to convey anger. "You don't have to do that anymore."

"Are you sure?" The words were even but the slight perk to her ears added a layer of surprise to her expression.

"Of course I'm sure, you dolt. Please don't tell me you feel like you must hide them on _my_ account." She sighed, reaching a hand up on impulse before letting it fall lamely back to her side. She'd learned through her etiquette lessons and common sense that it was incredibly invasive and rude to touch someone without their permission, no matter how much she wanted to investigate the very new and still somewhat strange appendages. Instead, she focused her attention back on the amber eyes watching her. "It's a bit fascinating, actually. You're so much more... expressive when you're... _you_. I'm sure Ruby and Yang will agree."

"Oh, we do!" Ruby piped up.

Two sets of eyes snapped to the side, where the sisters were watching them with eerily matching smiles.

"You know, you two are actually kinda adorable." Yang smiled wider, flashing more of her teeth as she propped her head on one hand. "But let's lay down some ground rules, alright? I don't want you two lovebirds corrupting my baby sister."

While Ruby squawked in indignation over being treated like a child, Weiss sat bolt upright and Blake shuffled away, their cheeks tinted a rosy hue.

Leave it to the blonde to be wildly inappropriate first thing in the morning.

Realizing they were all awake and might as well get moving, Weiss got up, folding the blanket neatly into a square before chucking it at Yang's head. She ignored the resulting cry of surprise, combing her fingers through her hair to try and smooth it out some. It was mildly annoying not to have access to her usual tools for her morning routine but, all things considered, that seemed like a trivial complaint. That, and opening her mouth would likely just give the sisters more ammunition for their ridiculous antics, and she'd rather not deal with that just yet.

"Here." Weiss turned, blinking at the ribbon being offered to her and the small smile on Blake's lips. "For your hair."

It occurred to her to reject the ribbon on principle alone- she could practically _feel_ Yang smiling at them- but... well, that would be rude, now wouldn't it? Plus, something about the simple act of accepting the black material was touching in its own right. "Oh... thank you."

It took a try or two to get the ribbon tied tightly enough, but soon Weiss had her hair back in its usual, offset ponytail. It was silly how something so small could make everything a little brighter- and it was just the familiarity of the sensation, not the fact the fabric came from Blake, well, not entirely- but she instantly felt capable of braving Yang's teasing and Ruby's attempts at being helpful now that the little bit of normalcy had returned.

"Alright, so, for breakfast we've got some dried meat, bread, and... whatever is in this." Yang held up a bag, eyeing it suspiciously before opening the top, peering in as if it might blow up. Blake looked on the verge of correcting her, ears in a straight line atop her head, but the blonde cried out in joy before she had the chance. "Muffins! They're muffins! Thank you, Skif!"

She tossed one to each of them before sitting down with hers. Weiss frowned slightly as she caught it, looking over the slightly stale pastry before deciding that now- and likely, the immediate future- would not be a good time for being picky. She started eating mechanically, barely noticing the blueberries peppering the treat as she thought about... Blake.

Had anything really changed? She'd told herself nothing had earlier but... maybe there was something to address. The Faunus obviously had friends who still thought fondly of her, if Skif was kind enough to part with so much food for four outcasts. Maybe she hadn't wanted to be rid of Smalt and his ilk quite so soon, if at all.

Then again, if _she_ returned to Atlas, no doubt her sister would welcome her home without much fuss. Her father would be his usual disproving, utterly charming self, sure, but Winter would summon her favorite meal and a bottle of wine and take her to her old room- dust free, with everything in its proper place. Winter had even kept making the deposits into Weiss' account for her allowance- though she swore never to touch the money unless absolutely necessary- and sent Dust containers for Myrtenaster every other month. Just because she'd turned _her_ back on the family legacy didn't mean she couldn't return to her childhood home. It also didn't mean she wanted to...

Sneaking a glance at the Faunus beside her, Weiss realized they had far more in common than she originally could've guessed. Perhaps _that_ was what had always seemed so off about her quiet teammate; they really weren't all that different despite all the things that comprised their vastly different worlds growing up. It was... comforting, in a way, like having someone else who really understood the struggle of fighting against, rejecting, and running from a fate they didn't want.

"So, where do we go now?" Ruby spoke around the mouthful of muffin in her mouth, the words only slightly muffled.

"We should find a small settlement, somewhere neither faction frequents." Blake furrowed her brows, ears twitching. "There were a few places I vaguely remember..."

"Hey, this might help." Everyone looked as Yang tugged something out from the cloth that had contained their dinner the night before, a folded slip of paper she immediately passed over to Blake. "Looks like a map."

"It is." Amber eyes scanned the paper, a small smile setting on her lips. "Radia must've slipped it in. It's the patrol routes for the next few days."

"Man, when we get booted from the enemy's stronghold, we make out like _bandits_!" Yang slapped her knee, laughing, and the situation was absurd enough even Weiss chuckled.

They finished their breakfast, planning to strike out towards one of the smaller cities in the south, maybe cross the border if things were too complicated. Blake and Ruby were able to work out landmarks so they wouldn't get lost while Yang put everything back in the pack and slung it across her shoulders. They started the trek straight away, Blake at the front while Weiss brought up the rear, the sisters between them.

Although not taking a strictly stealthy approach, conversation died out once they were on the move, leaving Weiss to her thoughts once more.

There still wasn't a hint of regret in her heart or mind about her actions; defending Blake was the right thing to do. She believed that, regardless of her heritage, Blake was her friend and teammate- and that thought stung for some reason. It shouldn't sting _at all_ but it bothered her for some reason and trying to put a name to it was... vexing. Just like the irrational irritation that surged through her the night before, every time Blake mentioned Skif, Radia, or Adam fondly in her recollections, it was ridiculous. Weiss had initially blamed the sensations on that which made sense: her utter exhaustion. Now decently rested, she didn't have an excuse for the silly, stupid, _unexplained_ spikes in her mood purely relying on one of her teammates.

She was pulled from her musing at the sound of the sisters in front of her talking in hushed voices, occasionally throwing glances over their shoulders at her. After about a minute, the two came to some sort of conclusion, Yang speeding up to catch Blake while Ruby hung back until she and Weiss were walking side-by-side.

"What are you two plotting?" Although it certainly wasn't the time for it, there was a bit of amusement coloring her tone. The sisters' antics- while annoying at times- were certainly a normal part of their team dynamic and she had somewhat missed their ill conceived plans that occupied their spare time.

She was probably about to regret that little bit of leniency, though.

"I just wanted to talk." Ruby's eyes shone with innocence but her wide smile gave her away. "Is that okay with you, Princess?"

"Oh great, now _you're_ doing it, too?" She fussed over the nickname, feeling like she had to huff about _something_ for the sake of routine. "Go ahead, say your piece."

"Why did you stand up for Blake?"

The question took her off guard, to the point she almost tripped over her own feet. "Wh-what do you mean? Surely you saw that we were at a tactical disadvantage, fighting the entire strength of the White Fang. A one-on-one duel was our best shot at defusing the situation."

"Well, yeah, but why did _you_ step up?" Ruby nodded towards her sister. "Yang definitely had more strength at the time and she has a clear advantage in the close range fighting department."

"That might've worked to her disadvantage, given Smalt's weapon."

"Which you didn't know about prior to the challenge, so... point invalid."

Weiss furrowed her brows slightly, crossing her arms over her chest. "I don't know, okay? I just... felt like I should."

"Even after finding out it was a _mating_ claim?"

"Is there a point to this line of questioning?" She pinched the bridge of her nose, as if to stave off an impending headache.

"I'm just seeing how long it takes for you to admit you like Blake," Ruby replied as nonchalantly as possible.

" _Of course_ I like Blake!" She instantly snapped back. "I hardly think I would go through all this for someone I _disliked_."

"No no, I mean you _like_ her." The stress applied to that one little word was not lost on her, but her team leader apparently felt the need to specify further. Explicitly. "As in, you have a romantic interest in her."

"D-don't be absurd." Instantly on the defensive, Weiss pointedly looked in the other direction, ignoring how the implication made her feel. She shoved _that_ can of worms aside, focusing instead on discouraging the eager woman beside her. "Romantic interactions within the team are highly unprofessional."

"Um, do you remember who you're talking to?" She winced, revealing she'd conveniently forgotten Ruby's and Yang's shared parentage while her team leader chuckled. "That's literally the weakest deflection I've _ever_ heard, especially from you. It's not like we're part of the Regiment now anyway!" Ruby noted, scuffing at the forest floor with her shoes as they walked. "If you're not, that's fine, Weiss, but it _really_ looks like you are."

"Well..." Against her better judgment, Weiss gave the idea serious consideration, brows pinching as she thought. Although there was that little part she found off about Blake, plus their disagreement about the Faunus and White Fang, she'd genuinely always enjoyed her company. She admired Blake's quiet strength and respected her as a friend and teammate. And, as she'd admitted earlier, they certainly had some strange things in common, almost kindred spirits in a sense.

But it went beyond that, didn't it? Blake being in danger was the motivation she needed to stand and fight, a complete contrast to her running away from every other obstacle set before her. She never challenged her father or her superiors before. Not until it was the Faunus' life on the line did it ever occur to her to use everything in her power to argue, to fight back. It gave her strength to push herself to her limits and even past them.

Okay. From a practical standpoint, having some as-of-yet unnamed but apparently strong feelings for Blake would certainly explain the warmth in her chest when she looked at the Faunus and the nearly suicidal streak in regards to how they'd gone about the whole situation, at her behest. The surges of emotion the night before were probably jealousy on her part and she mentally kicked herself for not recognizing it for what it was. It would also explain why she felt the need to talk to Blake regarding their... whatever it was developing between them, be it a... mutual attraction or a one sided affair.

Wonderful. Of course something like this would happen. Some part of her _dreaded_ when the younger woman was right for exactly this reason. Now what was she supposed to do?

"What if I am?" It was Ruby's turn to nearly trip, shock evident on her face when Weiss chanced a glance at the younger woman. "Must you be such a dolt?"

"Sorry! I just thought it was going to be harder." Ruby shrugged, making a vague motion in front of them. "Honestly, we don't mind. You're both our friends and we'd like to see both of you happy. Really, after everything that's happened, we just don't want either of you hurting yourselves or each other by bottling things up." Her silver eyes glazed over with sadness though she still smiled. "We're all we have now. We've gotta stick together, however we fit."

Weiss nodded absently, eyes drifting to Blake up ahead, engrossed in a hushed conversation with Yang. "I'm sorry for dragging you two into this whole mess, by the way."

"There's nowhere we'd rather be." Ruby bumped her shoulder. "We're a team, through and through. Even if you'd originally told us you only wanted to save Blake because you loved her, we would've been exactly where we are now!"

" _Please_ don't say that so loud." She could feel the blush suffusing her cheeks at the words. "Just because I may have developed some... feelings for Blake doesn't mean they're returned."

Ruby raised a brow. "You two will _have_ to talk about it sometime. Why not now?"

With a long suffering sigh, she glanced at the young woman. "You're going to force me to do this, aren't you?"

"I'm being nice and asking; Yang suggested we just throw you at each other until something happens." Something in her face conveyed how very dead serious the blonde had been about that particular suggestion.

Rather than attempting to defend herself further or dissuade the younger of the frustrating duo, Weiss increased her pace, intending to at least talk to Blake.

Whether or not the subject of her newly named attraction came up, however, remained to be seen.

* * *

Blake heard Yang approach twice as easily as usual, a small grin tugging at her lips as the blonde stepped up beside her. Ruby had dropped back with Weiss and it wasn't until she saw the mischievous glint in those lilac eyes that it occurred to her to be concerned. "What?"

"Yeah, don't play dumb with me, Blakey. How excited were you to accept Weiss' 'mating claim', huh? Be honest." She elbowed her in the side, causing Blake to wince slightly, ears twitching back.

"Yang!" She tried to add a bit of severity to her tone but it had the opposite of its intended effect, prompting the blonde's smile to grow wider.

"Come on! You can tell me!" Yang threw an arm around the Faunus' shoulders as they walked. "Did you want to swoon? Fall into her arms and proclaim your undying love? Because that was totally a missed opportunity."

"You never struck me as the hopeless romantic type," she said, not even pretending that she was capable of wiggling her way out of the conversation. It would just mean more trouble in the long run. "While I'm sure you have only the best of intentions in mind, please lay off. I'm pretty sure Weiss is not that interested in me."

"Why wouldn't she be?"

"All three of you found out I was a Faunus _yesterday_." She pointed out, rotating her ears to accentuate her point. "That on its own is a problem, considering her history, and I think my past certainly plays a part. How could she possibly trust me?"

Yang nodded her head, as if accepting her logic, but quickly countered. "So, you think Weiss is the type of person to throw _everything_ out the window for someone she _doesn't_ trust? And didn't she make it pretty clear last night that she feels _responsible_ for you hiding that in the first place?"

Blake remained silent, keeping her eyes focused forward as she felt the arm slung around her shoulders gradually recede. "Weiss is a very good friend to say that, better than I deserve-"

"I don't believe that, Ruby doesn't believe that, she doesn't believe that, and neither should you." Yang put her hands behind her head, interlocking her fingers and acting for all the world like nothing was wrong. "Hey, you two want to dance around each other some more, be my guest, but it's pretty clear to me that there's something going on, okay? There's always been this, like, _tension_ between the two of you that no one talked about because we couldn't figure out what it was. You notice how that's gone now? You two are actually talking to each other without weighing each word or starting a fight. Have you considered that, maybe, you two have been dancing around each other for a while and _kept_ each other at arms' length _only_ because of that silly secret?"

"That's incredibly wishful thinking." She sighed, reaching up to scratch behind her right cat ear, briefly remembering how it looked like Weiss was going to reach for it earlier.

Although she was loathe to admit it aloud- for no better reason than she could only take so much of the blonde's gloating- Yang did have a point. As insufferable as she could sometimes be, Blake actually enjoyed how passionate Weiss would get, the steely determination in her eyes, and how she kept fighting even after losing because she was too stubborn to give up. She was intelligent, well read, and a hard worker, all traits she valued in her friends and comrades. Not to mention her huffing over every little thing- which was annoying at first but became adorable when she realized it was just Weiss' way of reacting to something new or different, an automatic reaction that she couldn't control- and she was always trying to improve, so aware of every little mistake she made, and...

Blake noted belatedly that her lips had quirked up into a small smile and that Yang had noticed.

"Fine... let's entertain the idea that you're onto something. I'm afraid I don't have much experience in this department."

Slowly, Yang's arms lowered, gaze unfocused on a point before them. "If it was anyone else but you and her, I'd have a hundred things to say but... honestly, Blake, I think you two just need to actually sit down and talk about what's going on. That's the hard part for you two, actually digging beneath what's on the surface and admitting to it, so that's the part that takes the most work. From _both_ of you."

Nodding, the Faunus reflected back on her thoughts from the night before. She was _certain_ her teammate wouldn't accept her heritage barely a day ago, but she had, fighting to defend her against their superiors, ultimately putting everything on the line and losing it. Then, she actively fought for her against Smalt- while weak, tired, and hungry- putting herself at even more risk, _especially_ because of a family heritage she'd denied to become a Huntress. After all that, it was _Weiss_ who apologized- which, in itself, should be shocking enough from the stubborn woman- and shouldered the blame for the whole affair.

Before she could dwell too much further on it, her ears flicked back, listening to the approaching footsteps of the woman currently occupying her mind.

"I have a feeling very little sitting will occur," she said, prompting the blonde to give her a quizzical look before glancing over her shoulder, understanding dawning a moment after.

"Good luck, partner."

As Yang dropped back, Blake shortened her strides just enough for Weiss to catch up easily, resuming her pace once they were shoulder-to-shoulder. They were silent for a while, and she was under the impression Weiss was just as aware of the stares boring into the back of their heads, willing them to say something, as she was. Rather than allow the silence to continue, Blake decided to take the first step.

"I never blamed you," she said without preamble, garnering a quirked brow from the woman beside her. "You had your reasons to distrust the Faunus and the Fangs specifically. I think, deep down, I knew you wouldn't hold _all_ their crimes against me, but I was scared of being wrong, of hoping too much. I thought I could handle the isolation of never revealing myself but recently, I _wanted_ to tell you three, I just...hesitated." She lowered her head. "You didn't do anything wrong, Weiss. Given time, I'm sure I would've said something."

Weiss was quiet before venturing, far more tentatively than her usual manner. "Perhaps we both share some of the blame in this regard, though I hardly think it fair to hold any 'crimes' against you when you were just trying to survive and ultimately rejected Smalt's agenda. It's not like you wanted to hurt people."

There was just enough of a pause that she decided to take a gamble. Best to get everything out in the open before continuing any further. "I... may have actually stolen Schnee Dust Company supplies a time or two. Food rations, water siphoning, textiles... weapon shipments..." Her ears drooped. "That was when I started realizing that Smalt was... planning something horrible..."

Weiss took the confession in stride. "Well, that certainly explains why father was quite adamant about Vale being 'an unsafe land of hoodlums and lazy junkies' and no place fit for a Schnee." She squared her shoulders, head held high. "Either way, it doesn't matter. What's done is done and there's nothing we can do to change it." Blue eyes met her gaze for a moment. "Neither of us asked to be what they tried to make us but _we_ chose to be here, now, and for what it's worth, I'm glad you don't have to hide anymore." Her left hand unconsciously drifted to Myrtenaster's hilt. "Things may not be easy from here on out but we _will_ make it work."

Determined, stubborn, ready to charge forward without fear, the set of her jaw just like when she'd stood up to the officers; Blake couldn't help but smile and nod. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself and hoped Yang wasn't playing a cruel trick on her.

Before she could begin, Weiss spoke up.

"According to Ruby, there seems to be some sort of... attraction, perhaps one sided, that hasn't been properly addressed." The nearly clinical, clipped tone might've spoken of disapproval, except for the light blush staining incredibly pale cheeks. "Which, I won't deny that my feelings for you may have... changed recently. Or, maybe they haven't changed at all and I've felt like this for some time but there was something in the way of me realizing that." Weiss paused, seemingly collecting her bearings and forcing back the slight panic infecting her tone as her fingers began to fidget. "I just mean that... there was always something about you that didn't quite fit to me, that made me hold back because I didn't know what you were hiding, and now that I know, I feel like..." She sighed. "I feel like we can be... good... friends."

The finish was lame, even to the woman's ears as she cringed slightly.

Well. At least Yang wasn't setting her up.

"I think that's a good place to start." She kept her voice even though her ears were perked tall, alert as she slipped her hand into Weiss' and threaded their fingers together. Calling attention to her awkwardness would just embarrass her, so Blake opted to simply bring them to a stand still, giving the white haired woman a soft smile. "I hope there's a chance for something more to develop, though. In time."

Amber met ice blue, her nerves subsiding as a small grin lifted the woman's lips.

"In time," Weiss replied, squeezing the hand grasped in hers lightly.

A squawk behind them broke the moment, quizzical looks directed over their shoulders to where Yang was keeping a squirming Ruby's eyes and mouth covered.

"It's okay, you two!" The blonde cried cheerfully, wearing what could only be termed a shit eating grin. "You can kiss now; I'll protect the little one's innocence!"

They just stared for a moment before Blake felt a laugh building in her chest, making its way out about the same time Weiss chuckled, the sounds almost drowned out by Ruby's squirming. Once it passed, Blake felt her eyes drawn to the woman's lips, petal soft probably, but tempered the sudden urge. There would be time to... explore.

Her ears flicked.

Or not.

Snapping her head to the side, Blake squinted between the canopy, instinctively moving to stand in front of Weiss, straining her ears to be sure of what she thought she heard. Her sudden movement had her teammates instantly on edge, Ruby's protests dying as Crescent Rose, Ember Celica, and Myrtenaster were all drawn in a flurry of hisses and clicks.

"Airships." Gambol Shroud found its way into her hand as if it had a mind of its own, the movements themselves lost on Blake as she scanned the trees around them. "There."

She nodded towards a tall, sturdy tree, leaping up towards a branch with ease and climbing higher, sticking close to the trunk so the brief movement wouldn't disrupt the leaves too much and draw attention. When she reached a suitable height, she stopped, crouching low, acutely aware of the women beneath her trying their best to keep low and unseen.

Finally, she saw them- three airships likely brimming with Jumpers floating inexorably closer. That meant at least two full squads- maybe three or four- were coming for them. While the prospect of fending off two squads was a bit much itself, facing down an entire platoon was nigh impossible a consideration, and relaying the information to her teammates put a grim sort of determination glinting in their eyes.

"We have to evade," Ruby finally said, silver eyes flicking to and fro as she rapidly examined the situation from every angle. "Blake, can you tell their heading, distance, and speed?"

"At least six kilometers, heading straight towards us." She squinted, focusing on the shadows moving across the lower trees. "They're moving full tilt, about five hundred meters between them."

"That's too close to a tactical drop's standard procedure to be coincidence." Weiss noted from far below. "Is it possible they're heading for the, uh, Fang base instead?"

Blake scanned around, getting her bearings. "They're about a click off if that's their target."

Tense silence hung in the air before Ruby made a decision. "Everyone, conceal yourselves. There's a chance this is just an air patrol out on maneuvers. Blake, can you keep look out?"

"Of course." The Faunus pressed back into the depth of the shadows, eyes focused on the approaching airships. As they moved closer, Blake felt the tension in her muscles growing taunt, a wire ready to snap. She called out the distance as the airships drew close, ready to spring into action the moment the lines dropped.

She'd hoped there would be some deviation in their course, but the middle 'ship continued bearing right towards the tree she'd chosen as her post. At a kilometer out, she could practically feel the combined, coiled lethality beneath her, each woman ready to fight with everything they had if it came to that.

The piercing melody of Ruby's scroll suddenly cut the tension and quiet of the forest like a blade.

Blake internally groaned. Well, _that_ certainly explained the airships' heading.

Dropping her gaze, Blake watched as their team leader fumbled with the device out of surprise, pulling it from her pack and finally hitting the answer button.

"Ah, Ruby! Good to see you again." Captain Port's voice sounded as full of bluster as usual, though the Faunus noted the cringe flashing across the others' faces. "Oh, no hard feelings about our last meeting, ladies; it was a very good reminder that I should remain a bit more aware of my surroundings! Now then, I'm actually here with a bit of a proposal." Blake's cat ears twitched, noting the airships were decreasing their speed. "See, we're not too keen on the _four_ of you putting down another unit, so we'd much rather you come peacefully."

"Like lambs to the slaughter? Do they take us for fools?" Weiss hissed under her breath, stealing a glance up and meeting her gaze briefly.

Blake tightened her grip on Gambol Shroud.

"Um, not to, uh, make a big deal out of it, Captain, but... we really don't have a reason to expect anything good to come out of surrendering." Ruby glanced around at her team, her youthful expression replaced by one of fierce determination. "And we're not going to submit. We were right all along; Blake's innocent of the charge of treason."

"At least, as far as the Hunters Corps is concerned." Yang chimed in with a shrug, hands curling and uncurling several times as her gaze stayed riveted to the canopy above.

Captain Port's laugh was only slightly distorted over the device. "I don't doubt it! Truthfully, your little display was more than enough to persuade General Ironwood that there was more to the situation than we originally gleaned and the Colonels and I secured a proper trial for all of you. Even the little Luies lobbied in support." He cleared his throat. "This is all provided you come peacefully, of course. If there is resistance... we will have no choice but to use lethal force." He paused, and then said, "plus, this bit is something of a gesture of goodwill on my part. You four are still part of my company, and I'll be damned if I leave you out to dry twice."

Blake's lips pulled back in a quiet snarl at the mention of the General. She still hadn't let go of her anger towards the man for hurting her friends and Weiss while she was helpless.

"So, it's either surrender and hope for the best or fight a full platoon of Jumpers?" Ruby surmised as the engines grew louder.

"There are no Jumpers here, Ruby." Captain Port actually sounded a bit affronted. "I'd never risk so precarious a mission in the hands of Torchwick's company. I brought only those that know you four and believe Blake's innocence as fervently as you do."

Blake glanced at the airships before dropping down to the ground quietly, standing from her landing crouch and holding out her hand. Ruby looked dubious for a moment before passing the scroll to her, amber eyes falling on the Captain's image.

"Can you swear they won't come to any harm?" She ignored Weiss' protest and Yang's startled, wounded look.

"I may be a lot of things, Blake, but near the top of that list is a man of my word." His thick eyebrows furrowed slightly. "I wouldn't gamble everything on a lame horse. I swear on everything I hold dear, no harm will come to any of you."

"Just focus on them. Please." She sighed. "There's a clearing close by, five o'clock from your position and about two clicks."

His gaze deviated briefly. "I have a visual."

"It will make extraction easier. We'll meet you there." She ended the communication, passing the scroll back to a worried Ruby. "It's for the best."

"Blake." Weiss looked particularly wounded, Myrtenaster still gripped firmly in hand. "We don't have to do this. We can fight-"

"We've _been_ fighting." She glanced away briefly. " _You_ have been fighting for a full day without proper rest or nutrition and the Hunters in those airships aren't trained to jump into a forest. Many of them will be injured just getting to the ground." Their gazes met. "Even if we hold our own against the ones who make it through, Smalt will find out about their presence. I can't imagine he'll allow any to survive, regardless if we've managed our escape by the time the Fangs strike. Is that an acceptable cost to pay? The lives of our comrades?" She could see the war raging in each of her teammates' expressions, the desperate attempt to find some alternative and coming up empty. With only a hint of reluctance, she sheathed Gambol Shroud, nodding in the direction of the clearing. "We should get moving."

The sisters exchanged a worried look before Ruby bowed her head. "We haven't gotten this far by doubting each other."

"I don't like it." Yang puffed out a breath through her nose, snorting like an angry bull as her weapons reduced themselves to bracelets. "But fine. I'll play along. Just know, first one to put hands on me is getting a shot to the face."

Crescent Rose was slid into place on Ruby's back shortly after, leaving only Weiss to disarm herself. A wide range of emotions flashed in her ice blue eyes before they coalesced, like a diamond taking shape in a rapid amount of time.

"Blake Belladonna, if this is some sort of misguided attempt to play the martyr, I swear to Dust I will kill you myself, find a way to bring you back, only to kill you again on pure principle. Am I understood?"

Rather than take the threat to heart, Blake managed a slight grin. "Yes, Princess."

It took a moment longer before Myrtenaster returned to her hip, a decidedly anxious tension in her shoulders as they started toward the clearing. Surprisingly, it was Ruby who grabbed her sister by the arm and forced them to walk quicker, leaving Weiss behind with Blake, throwing a look over her shoulder that quite clearly said 'fix it or else' before the sisters launched into conversation.

Walking side-by-side with the white haired woman, Blake weighed her words carefully. "Weiss-"

" _Shut up_ , Blake." There was little bite to the words, her shoulders raising slightly as the tension tightened. "We're walking into an obvious trap. You can't seriously believe-"

"No, I don't." She at least managed in keeping Weiss from working herself up further, clasping her hand once more. "But we'll get through it."

"Your optimism is astounding, given recent events." Weiss remarked dryly, though her shoulders relaxed.

"We got out of the Beacon Regiment Headquarters and the largest Faunus den in Remnant with our lives. _Because of recent events_ , I'm confident we'll make it through this." If only in the privacy of her own mind, Blake could admit there was a bit more motivating her as well. The prowling animal inside her was eager to settle the score with the General. She had no illusions that things would come down to a fight in the end but, on the off chance they _could_ redeem themselves, it was a better future than running for the rest of their lives. She owed them that much. "As long as we're together, we'll find a way."

Weiss sighed, clinging tight to the hand in hers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: That was your only break, folks.


	6. On Trial

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Court shenanigans incoming. Also, short chap, because there was no better way to split them up.

Displeased was a very mild way of describing her current mood. True, their team was treated with nothing less than cordial respect by the Hunters who helped them into the airship, but being put under guard was a difficult pill to swallow a second time in as many days, especially for Weiss. If there was any consolation, it was that Captain Port had yet to prove himself anything but a gentlemen, providing them with water and somewhat familiar faces as their guards. She could put names to the faces, if she truly wanted to expend the energy to do so, but her concern was wholly absorbed with something rather constructive: building their argument. If the Captain's word held true, they would be afforded the trial Blake was initially denied, and it would take some clever articulation to keep them from landing in hot water. At the very least, they would be stripped of rank and summarily discharged, but that was a vastly preferable outcome to execution.

Crammed in the back of the airship, the sisters sat across from her while Blake remained at her side, though they didn't hold hands in front of their guards. She didn't realize how the denial of something so simple and so new would have such a profound effect on her, consistently derailing her train of thought whenever her hand unconsciously clenched, expecting to meet some sort of resistance. It made her palm itch and a little voice complain at her own lack of foresight. She couldn't just own up to her feelings when the opportunity presented itself, could she? Now they were stuck in silence, their future once again plunged into uncertainty, and to top it all off, Blake seemed rather intent on playing the part of the martyr, which was absolutely _not_ going to happen in any way, shape, or form.

Minutely shaking her head, Weiss desperately sorted through her memory for anything that could strengthen their case. Acting in defense of their teammate was one thing but it would be difficult to explain their disappearance from Beacon's HQ without revealing that Blake did, in fact, possess ties back to the White Fang. That could hurt their case but concealing it might do even worse damage. It wasn't like the Lieutenants wouldn't be able to confirm White Fang soldiers were the ones who released Blake, so that wasn't an option anyway. She had to find a way to turn the information to their advantage and _that_ hinged on whether or not they were given the benefit of the doubt.

Would they believe that Blake's affiliation was entirely a one sided affair?

"We're preparing to land." One of the women said- Pyrrha, she thought, a Huntress on the verge of becoming an officer herself- turning slightly sad green eyes upon the team. "We'll need to take your weapons..."

Yang's hands clenched into fists on her knees while Ruby pressed her back against the seat, trapping Crescent Rose between her body and the uncomfortable material of the jump seats, twin scowls adorning their features. Even Weiss felt her fingers subconsciously grasp Myrtenaster, back straightening as her eyes searched Pyrrha's face. There was no hint of an ulterior motive, just strict discipline; she expected nothing less but...

"It _is_ standard protocol, right Weiss?" Ruby bit her lip, obviously uncomfortable with parting from her beloved sniper scythe.

"It... is," she said slowly, feeling a hint of unease radiating through her as she slowly drew Myrtenaster from her hip.

Each of them surrendered their weapons, Yang being the most reluctant to hand over Ember Celica. Her wrists looked strangely small without the weapons clasped around them and she continued rubbing them idly with a crease in her brow. Even Weiss felt strange, seated as she was without the constant, familiar pressure against her hip. The vulnerability made reaching for Blake's hand an even stronger temptation.

Their weapons were locked in a case, simple wood and glass cutting them off from what was considered a Hunter's most indispensable tool. It was the first time they'd been without their weapons since earning the title of Recruit within the Hunters Corps; it was a harsh slap in the face for any Hunter to be disarmed.

"Why'd you do it?" Jaune, designated as the leader of their escort, tilted his head slightly, blue eyes flicking between the four of them.

"Would you stay and take part in a war you never wanted?" Amber eyes fell on Jaune, the cat ears atop Blake's head rotating purposefully, drawing the attention of their guards to the strange appendages. "How would you reveal yourself, knowing you'd be branded a traitor the moment you did, no matter your intentions?"

"Seriously, you'd stand by and do nothing while your teammate suffered?" Yang's voice was eerily soft but still managing to spill over with barely restrained anger, knuckles turning white as her eyes flashed dangerously. "Sit there and accept whatever story they fed you without seeking the truth yourself? You'd abandon them?"

"Could you remain silent when your voice was their only defense?" Weiss offered her own reply, her gaze sweeping their guards before landing on Jaune. "Could you ignore their agony to save yourself?"

The airship rocked slightly as it docked, Ruby making to stand as the rest of them followed. Before the jump doors could open, silver eyes fell on Jaune and the smallest woman in the cramped quarters stood tall, the conviction evident in her posture and expression making her seem head and shoulders above everyone else.

"Really, Jaune, you shouldn't ask us why we did it." She smiled. "You should ask yourself what _you_ would do if it was one of _your_ teammates in danger. Would you hesitate or would you do whatever you could to make things right?"

A visible shock passed through their assembled guards, some more violently than others as they glanced around, the conflict clear in their eyes. Then the doors opened and Weiss could see each come to his or her own conclusion, schooling their expressions as the clamor from outside filled the space.

"This way, please," Pyrrha said, motioning to follow her and Jaune as they started towards the port side door.

The politeness of the order was not lost on Weiss as she moved to follow, their escorts seeming far more relaxed than when they initially boarded the craft. The welcoming awaiting them, however, was far less subdued, the entirety of the Regiment's Hunters not on duty or mission were lining the large parade field, the stage set on one side occupied by the command staff that had handed down Blake's original sentence. As they walked, Weiss tried to catch snippets of the whispers that surrounded her, the furor dying as her team was lead to a raised platform before the stage.

From what she could tell, those who already viewed them as traitors were being hushed by their comrades, though the sentiment seemed spread far enough that an unbiased trial wasn't likely. If they were even put to a Regiment wide vote, which she sincerely doubted; standard protocol demanded officer's counsel with the decision resting squarely in the General's hands. By the looks of it, General Ironwood already had his decision, and the rest of this was merely a show to coerce their obedience.

So be it. A remarkably low chance of success wasn't exactly new to Weiss at this point and she outright _refused_ to be cowed by any of the officers watching them assume their places for the trial.

"Silence." General Ironwood's voice carried effortlessly across the parade field with the assistance of his scroll, the assembled Hunters falling quiet by degrees until there was nothing but the light rustle of the wind. "The hearing will start momentarily. Captain Port?"

"Yes, yes, I'm coming." The Captain grumbled as he stopped in front of Ruby on his way to the stage. "Ah, dear, I believe you have my scroll." After a noise of surprise from her team leader, the device was handed over, allowing Captain Port to take the empty seat beside Major Fall. "Right. Ready on this side!"

"Duly noted," the General said, mouth pressing into a thin line before addressing the field. "Let the record show this hearing is convened for the purpose of determining the guilt or innocence of the following Huntresses for the listed offenses." He paused, glancing down at his scroll briefly between readings. "Huntress First Class Ruby Rose, charged with one count of conspiracy, one count of desertion, two counts of assaulting a superior commissioned officer, one count of failure to obey an order, one count of mutiny, one count of releasing a prisoner without proper authority, one count of noncompliance with procedural rules, one count of aiding the enemy, and thirty-seven counts of assault."

Weiss forced her expression to remain neutral as Yang's and her charges were read out, both following Ruby's verbatim, except that she had three counts of assaulting an officer as opposed to two. Scrolls trilled with their listed of charges after they were read, a copy likely sent to every Hunter in attendance. It wasn't until he reached Blake's that the list changed significantly.

"Blake Belladonna, charged with one count of conspiracy, one count of fraudulent enlistment, one count of desertion, six counts of contempt, one count of mutiny, one count of breaking arrest, one count of aiding the enemy, one count of misconduct as a prisoner, and one count of espionage."

She couldn't help but narrow her eyes at the obvious lack of Blake's rank from his listing, fighting to keep the words poised on her tongue in check as he swept his gaze over them.

"Point of order, General." Colonel Goodwitch intervened, tapping at her own scroll. "Motion for all charges of noncompliance to be dismissed, on grounds of similar charges _not_ being filed, as well as all charges found... lacking in Huntress Belladonna's previous trial, on grounds of insufficient evidence."

"Point of order as well, I say." Captain Port leaned forward. "Motion for all charges of desertion to be dismissed, on grounds that the accused _willingly_ returned without a struggle within the deemed reasonable window of time."

"Both motions seconded," Colonel Ozpin said, the curve to his lips nearly a grin. "Also, point of order: motion for the charge of fraudulent enlistment to be dismissed, on grounds that nowhere on our enlistment forms is it required for a Recruit to state their race."

"Seconded," Goodwitch replied instantly, crossing her arms over her chest and her legs at the knees.

General Ironwood frowned briefly before nodding. "Charges dismissed."

Weiss glanced down at her scroll as nearly half of her charges disappeared. That made things slightly easier, especially since they seemed to have a few friends in the assembled officers.

Or, at least, sympathetic ears. She hoped. Still, they each had at least one charge that conferred death as a suitable penalty, so they weren't out of the woods by far; they just had a few less trees to knock down to get out.

"The accused will now present their arguments." General Ironwood intoned, severe gaze settling on each of them in turn, as if daring them to speak out.

It was a challenge Weiss readily accepted. "A Hunter must adapt to and overcome all obstacles to ensure the mission does not fail. A Hunter's primary objective is the safety and security of fellow Hunters, their nation, and Humanity at large." She met the General's stare unflinchingly. "Those quotes are taken directly from our Creed, General. When our teammate was threatened, we reacted to protect her."

"In doing so, you placed the security of this Regiment at risk," he replied, a twitch to his brow betraying his anger. "We were under attack from without _and_ within."

"Now, we've yet to find any shred of evidence purporting that as anything more than coincidence." Captain Port cut in, absently reaching up to stroke his mustache. "Their actions preceded the beginning of the attack and neither their scrolls nor any other communications devices they had access to show activity to signal or be signaled by an outside force."

Colonel Ozpin sighed. "Are we willingly ignoring the audio and video evidence that supports the coincidence claim?"

"That could've been planted." General Ironwood sighed after a moment. "However, let the record show that there is no correlation between the timing of both events." There was a brief silence before he shifted. "You may continue your arguments." He briefly regarded Weiss with a glare. "I would _suggest_ providing your version of the events, seeing as we have some obvious holes, such as where you four have been for the past sixteen hours."

And so it began, a retelling that took all four of them to fill in the gaps, with colorful commentary from Yang that somehow got a chuckle or two from their audience and Ruby's fervent, honest account. Blake took over the tale after the other three were knocked unconscious by the White Fang soldiers, admitting freely her previous history with her people and the circumstances that allowed her team to be taken prisoner rather than killed outright. Not once during her retelling did her cat ears twitch, her voice even and almost soothing throughout, a simple statement of fact that made even the more ridiculous parts of the story easier to believe.

But when she got to Weiss' duel, the tale was interrupted.

"You had the leader of Vale's White Fang contingent at the point of your blade and you _didn't_ kill him?" General Ironwood raised one brow, eyes hard as steel as his gaze bored into her. "Remind me again how that translates to your Hunter training, Schnee."

"It was a duel of honor," she replied, mirroring his severe expression with what Ruby had once dubbed the 'Ice Princess Stare' back during their first week as prospective recruits. "Had I drawn blood, it would've provoked a reaction from the remainder of the White Fang. Tactically, we would've been at a severe disadvantage." She allowed herself a small quirk of the lips. "And, given their apparent poor opinion of Humans, keeping my word did more to demoralize their troops than killing my opponent would've."

The General drummed his fingers against his knee briefly. "Noted. Continue."

After another twenty minutes, their recounting of the events finished, and the officers looked at each other, whispering to themselves while the Hunters watching the proceedings did the same. Weiss and her teammates remained silent, not even daring to glance at each other in the meantime.

Finally, the Lieutenant with the red eye shadow spoke up. "Why lie about the life signs, Belladonna?"

Her sister nodded. "If they'd known better, your escape route would've been compromised."

"It was a risk worth taking." Blake's jaw tightened. "I left the White Fang because I refused the agenda of a genocidal maniac. How could I stand by and let my fellow Hunters die without compromising my integrity in the process?"

The Lieutenants exchanged a briefly glance before nodding, accepting Blake's answer.

"Schnee," Captain Port said next, though there was something different about his lack of rank than the others, almost like he was referring to her with familiarity rather than disdain. "Why did you attack me?"

"What were my other options?" Frustration colored her tone a moment before Weiss was able to school herself, harkening back to endless lessons from her youth she hated at the time to regain control f her temper. When she started again, it was in a considerably more conciliatory tone. "We had an hour before our teammate would be summarily executed for a crime she didn't commit. Just filing the paperwork would've taken that long. You were an obstacle, Captain. It was nothing personal."

"An hour?" The General's gaze slid to the other officer. "Belladonna's execution wasn't scheduled until today, Port."

"Was it?" The man stroked at his mustache momentarily, then shrugged. "Oh, I... suppose I misspoke."

"I'm sure." His gaze swung around towards the accused once more. "Does anyone have anything else to add?" Silence reigned over the parade field. "Very well, then. The record will be reviewed and a verdict read tomorrow at oh-nine-hundred hours. Until then, the accused will remain in solitary confinement."

_What?_

Weiss tensed, snapping her gaze to Blake while Ruby and Yang immediately objected, panic clear in their tones. In all the stories they ever told, she couldn't remember ever hearing of a period longer than a few hours where the sisters weren't in some form of contact with each other, and the last thing she wanted at that moment was to leave Blake alone in the hands of _anyone_. She instantly reached to her hip, grasping at nothing with Myrtenaster locked away in that blasted case, and cursed at the impulsive action. Already her guards- Nora and Ren, one of the stranger Hunter pairs she'd encountered but no less deadly because of it- tensed their muscles in preparation for a fight, watching her out of the corners of their eyes. Blake's low growl wasn't helping, ears pinned back against her skull as she openly glared at the General.

"ENOUGH!" General Ironwood's voice rose, perhaps the first time she'd ever heard him yell in all her time with the Regiment. "Your orders are clear."

This was wrong. Cruel and unusual a punishment as could be, given they had surrendered and disarmed themselves willingly, but Weiss was hard pressed to find an alternative. Resisting would almost assuredly result in their deaths, even if the Hunters around them weren't too terribly keen on using lethal force. It would just serve to confirm the General's assertions, make them rebellious traitors in the eyes of the Regiment.

They'd come too far to lose it all now.

That didn't mean she had to like it or remain silent, words poised on the tip of her tongue to buy them time until she could remember some loophole in procedure or policy that would give them the excuse they needed. But all too suddenly her gaze was caught by amber eyes, burning just as bright as she suspected her own did with indignation, and her objections died as she recognized the pall of acceptance on the Faunus' features.

"Blake..."

Her shoulders slumped as the name slipped past her lips, noting how the Faunus' posture had changed. Although still visibly upset, Blake held her head high, arms relaxed at her sides, ears forward and rigid, a clear statement that she wouldn't be intimidated by the General's tactic.

"It'll be okay." Blake favored her with one of those ghosts of a smile, forced for her sake. "We'll be fine."

"Ruby, we can't-"

"No, Blake's right." Their team leader grinned, recovering from the blow as best as she could. "It'll be okay. Tomorrow, this'll be over."

Weiss drew herself up, squaring her shoulders and taking a deep breath. They were right, unfortunately; everything would be resolved tomorrow and fighting now would do them no favors. It chaffed at her to be so docile after fighting so hard but, when Ren nodded towards the main building, she turned and began marching, stride deliberate and unfaltering. One night apart wouldn't break them. She just had to remember that.

Ahead of her, Yang and Blake marched as well, though barely restrained anger made the blonde's moves somewhat choppy. The taller of her escorts- a Huntsman with reddish hair that Weiss distinctly remembered disliking for some reason or other, though she couldn't recall much else about him- reached out as if to shove her forward.

Yang's voice was layered with venom and deadly serious. "You lay one finger on me, Cardin, _and I will put you through a wall_."

"Brief reminder that even prisoners are allotted a certain amount of... self defense." Colonel Ozpin gently chided, hiding his expression behind a mug of coffee and giving Cardin pause before his hand lowered.

"Just keep moving." He spat, completely ignoring the fact that they _were_ moving, even if it wasn't quite at _his_ pace, the lout.

This was all to add insult to injury, Weiss thought as she ground her teeth together behind a mask of indifference. Disarmed, accused of severe charges, and now separated from each other- it was the ultimate disgrace for a Hunter of any level. From the first day of training, before she'd even earned the title of Recruit, Weiss was drilled to hold these things in the highest regard: to never be without Myrtenaster, to never forsake her team, and to never betray the Regiment. Regardless of what those fools believed, _none of them_ had failed those tenets, except to prove their own innocence. It was practically paradoxical.

And a hard pill to swallow, nevermind her pride.

They were led to the detention level, Yang and herself on one side of the hallway while Blake and Ruby were on the other, an empty cell between them. The maximum distance they could be kept away without putting them on completely different floors. One of those empty rooms was the same one they'd held the Faunus in during the initial escape attempt, though all evidence of the struggle to reach it was erased by now.

She stole one last glance at her teammates, gaze lingering on Blake, before stepping into the room while Ren shut the door behind her. As the lock engaged, Weiss fell back against the reinforced door and slid to the floor, drawing her knees up to her chest, the sheer weight of everything forcing her to buckle. In an effort to clear their names, they'd backed themselves into a corner, and the likelihood of them escaping without something catastrophic happening was laughably low- which, given recent events, was saying something. When they were marched back out to the parade field the following morning, it would either end in a summary discharge or yet another fight they couldn't hope to win without somehow tipping the scales in their favor, which would be nigh impossible.

Not to mention that, when she was provided the opportunity to be irrevocably _clear_ and _honest_ about her own complicated feelings that essentially put them into this ridiculous situation in the first place, she utterly choked like a complete and utter dolt. If she got a subsequent chance to talk to Blake, it would likely be in the middle of a fight for their lives, which would be incredibly romantic in a movie or some flight of fancy, but not reality. When would be their next chance for a peaceful moment?

It occurred to her that now would be a perfect time to break down and just cry for lack of something better to do, if she was so inclined.

But there _was_ something better to do. She tilted her head back, furrowing her brow slightly as her off center ponytail made its presence known. Reaching up, she traced her fingers along the black ribbon, paying special attention to the texture. Even if she couldn't see or talk to her teammates, she still had them, they were still in the fight.

Fighting. Right. Even if they couldn't strategize together, they were highly aware of each other's strengths and fighting styles. At the first indication things wouldn't work out, Yang would undoubtedly fly into a rage and Blake would distract and confuse their opponents to the best of her ability. Ruby would find a way to give them a tactical advantage or at least get their weapons back. Seeing as all of _her_ strength rested solely in her manipulation of Dust and her Semblance, Weiss needed to ensure she was ready to spring into action the moment Myrtenaster was in her hand once more.

Pushing herself up, Weiss rolled her neck and her shoulders, began working out the kinks and burn from the past few days. She noted there was a small, barely concealed section at the back of the room with a cramped shower and a toilet, set next to the pathetic cot shoved against the wall. A shower and rest would do her wonders after the day she'd just had and she would need whatever energy she could replenish.

Before she could cross the room to investigate further, however, the door behind her unlocked, opening to admit two more Hunters- Neptune and Sage, if she remembered correctly- one holding a tray filled with a standard meal from the dining facility while the other held one of her monogrammed duffels. Although she wasn't particularly hungry at present, food certainly wasn't something she was going to pass up. As a courtesy, Weiss stepped back every time the duo took a step into the room, keeping her hands visible as they crouched down and set the tray and bag on the floor. When they stood up, the darker of the two started for the door while his partner lingered.

"Hey, you... need anything?" Neptune shrugged, scratching at his neck awkwardly.

She blinked, turning the request over briefly. It could easily be a trick of some sort but she didn't have the luxury of being picky at present. "Would it be possible to obtain a recent copy of the _Hunter's Creed_?"

He seemed surprised but nodded. "I'll, uh, see what I can do."

As soon as they left, Weiss weighed her options and decided to investigate the case first. Thankfully, it contained the contents of her wall locker, to include a few extra sets of clothes and her hygiene kit. A hot shower to loosen her muscles would do wonders and maybe, if she was lucky, she could find something else to help in the closing stage of their hearing. It was a long shot but reading policies was a routine she could slip into rather easily and keep herself from fretting all through the night.

She just hoped that no one was foolish enough to harm Blake or the others. If _that_ was the case, she likely would never make it back to the parade field.

* * *

Yang fumed. That was the word for it, she was pretty sure.

She never did the whole pacing thing as a means to calm down- that was Weiss' bag, really- but, damnit, there wasn't much else _to_ do in this little cage they'd locked her inside of to wait out the night. They'd already brought her food and a change of clothes, both of which were forgotten as she clenched and unclenched her hands, storming around the enclosed space like a tiger on the prowl. By some miracle, she hadn't knocked out the Hunters who brought them to her, retreating to the far corner and glaring with eyes two shades away from turning blood red. Her Semblance crackled under her skin, a fire ready to spark and ignite, barely restrained for the sake of her teammates and sister.

Yang stopped in her tracks, tilting her head back and letting loose a yell of pure frustration that echoed through the room, leaving her breathless but feeling no better for it.

Nothing seemed to help. Nothing short of seeing her sister and friends, _her team_ , unharmed and smiling, would set her at ease at this point.

And if some creep like Cardin put his hands on them while she wasn't around...

Yang spun, throwing her fists down and directly into the middle of her shitty cot, breaking the frame and leaving a mess of metal and fabric in its wake. A single punch was all it took and, though it did make her feel a hair's breadth better, there wasn't much more for it.

Someone sighed. "Guess I didn't make it in time."

The blonde spun again, fists up and ready, eyes flashing dangerously as Pyrrha stepped into the room with a punching bag slung over one shoulder. Rather than intrude further into the cell, the redhead tossed the bag with all the ease of a jug of water. Yang instinctively caught it, giving a soft grunt as the weight hit her. It was rather heavy.

Good.

"Thanks," she said grudgingly, allowing the bottom of the heavy bag to hit the ground and grateful for something to take her rage out against that wouldn't simultaneously cause more problems for her.

The redhead gauged her for a moment. "Some unsolicited advice: you're stupid when you're angry. I can't smuggle another cot down here."

"Then I'll sleep on the floor," Yang replied gruffly, giving the bag an experimental punch that sent it flying into the wall. It was better but nothing felt the same without the familiar weight of Ember Celica encircling her wrists.

As she busied herself with setting the bag in an unoccupied corner so it wouldn't keep moving as she struck, Pyrrha left the room, the lock engaging once again. It burned her in a horrible way, being fully capable of busting through whatever resistance they set in her path and forcing herself to play by their arbitrary rules. If Ruby's and the rest of their team's lives weren't at stake, she'd make a break for it, armed or no.

But Pyrrha was right. Her hotheaded tendencies were bound to make things worse for them if she didn't find some way to decompress.

Beating the bag into oblivion seemed the only way to get her head on straight.

* * *

Ruby poked her tongue out of her mouth slightly, sketching along the papers Scarlet had brought her earlier. It was nothing more than a vague concept after seeing so many weapon variations, not only within their Regiment but among the Faunus as well. While she was very content with Crescent Rose, designing weapons was something Uncle Qrow always said she had a knack for and to send him anything she might draw up.

Currently, she was working on a modification to Smalt's spear that would make the slightly unwieldy length a bit easier to maneuver, especially against an opponent like Weiss or herself, who could move very quickly in and out of the medium range at which it was most effective. In her brief time examining the weapon in action, she hadn't seen any hint of a firing mechanism, but that didn't mean it was lacking one entirely. The idea of a subdued, hidden barrel in such a weapon was intriguing, to the point she wanted to see if she could deconstruct and reconstruct the weapon from memory, _plus_ improve it.

It was also a great way to pass the time and keep her mind off the acute pain in her chest from being separated from her team. Ever since her mother's death, being separated from her loved ones became an almost panic inducing horror she couldn't effectively fight, especially given how ridiculously demanding the past day was. There were so many moments she found her nearly inexhaustible well of optimism reaching its limits, so it was nice to push those memories to the back of her mind for a little while and focus on something concrete that didn't involve feelings or the future. If she focused hard enough, she could imagine it was just another night in their room, complete with her sister's one-sided argument with a game while Weiss and Blake quietly read.

Pushing herself up a little bit from her prone position on the floor, Ruby looked over her sketch, examining the flaws in the initial concept and flipping the pencil around to the eraser side to make her corrections.

The lock disengaging registered faintly though she made no move to acknowledge it in the slightest. The last thing she wanted to do was provoke her guards into attacking her.

"Here's dinner," Jaune said, shuffling forward a few steps to set the tray down. "I even brought your favorite cookies for dessert."

She looked up, flashing him a smile. "Thanks, Jaune."

He shrugged. "Don't stay up too late, okay? You gotta be in top shape."

She raised a brow but said nothing, seeing as he was already slipping out of the room. Instead, she glanced between the meal and her sketch. There was probably enough time to make a few more alterations before the heat was lost entirely.

Cold food was really the least of her worries but, hey, she might as well avoid it since she could.

* * *

Time stretched and thinned, indecipherable within the windowless room. The lights cut out a while ago, likely a sign that it was past scheduled lights out. Without her enhanced sight, she would've been left to fumble in the total darkness, not that she spent much of the time moving anyway.

Blake sat ramrod straight against one wall, measuring her breathing as a way to mark the time, searching within herself the way Adam had shown her so long ago. It was one of Smalt's greatest triumphs: teaching the Fangs to seek out the animal within, tapping into primal instincts and reactions that made the Human equivalents pale in comparison. It's what made him so feral and vicious, what turned the Fangs from a defensive force to an aggressively offensive one, and the animal she always felt at the edges of her conscious mind was needed now more than ever.

The feline that prowled in the deepest recesses was difficult to consciously coax out, apparently rather content to remain a passenger along the journey rather than an active participant, roaring when she was angry without lending strength to her rage. But tomorrow morning would demand only the best from her to protect her friends- protect _Weiss_ \- and it was with that thought in mind that the beast finally emerged, clawing to the surface and asserting itself.

Her eyes snapped open, the entire room thrown into sharp relief as her pupils caught every stray gleam of light. A new sort of awareness erupted through her being; every bunched muscle, every strand of hair, every minute detail taken into account as the predator within prepared for the hunt.

If the officers forced their hand at the verdict reading, Blake was fully prepared to fight with everything she had, to her dying breath if it was required. For Ruby's sake, for Yang's sake, and for Weiss' sake- they were going to claw their way out of this mess in one form or fashion.

There was just too much left for them to explore in life to just give up now, consequences be damned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: All charges listed are based on the American Uniformed Code of Military Justice, if you were curious, and listed as they appear in the UCMJ, not necessarily by severity.


	7. Exit Strategy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Technically, I don't even own the internet to upload this. Shit gets real.

The next morning, Weiss sat on the cot and watched the door steadily, waiting. Neptune had brought her breakfast a while ago, which meant a scant few hours before they would be taken back to the parade field. In that time, she'd showered and changed into a fresh combat uniform, her usual bolero with the family crest stitched on the back seeming stiff in comparison to the worn and tattered one from the day before.

The only difference from her usual appearance was the black bow holding her ponytail off center. She'd forgone her trademark snowflake tiara in favor of Blake's ribbon, feeling the subtle sign of support might work against her but absolutely unable to resist regardless.

The day before was spent stretching out her muscles and studying the copy of _Hunter's Creed_ Neptune brought, though she didn't really learn anything she didn't already know, aside from useless information and outdated regulations that wouldn't help them.

When the door finally opened, Weiss stood up, not allowing anything to show on her face as Jaune stepped into the room. "It's time, Weiss."

"I understand." She stood, striding towards the door with the same measured gait from the day before. However, she was stopped short by the Huntsman, his gaze turned down the hall as a frown came to his lips.

"Hey, Cardin, maybe we should switch."

"Why?" The other Huntsman grumbled. "Can't handle the Snow Queen?"

"Can you handle Xaio Long?" Pyrrha verbally parried, a heavy silence immediately following.

"Alright. We'll switch."

"Good." Jaune nodded. "And we'll bring her out first. Should help keep her calm, seeing the others _unharmed_."

Weiss briefly frowned at the unnecessary stress on that word but remained compliant regardless. There was a chance they would be found innocent, especially given the not-so-hostile look Cardin threw her as he and his partner took their positions just outside the room's door, so it was best to play her cards just right.

She could hear the approaching guards and their charges as they neared her door, Yang the first to pass. The blonde threw her a small smile, eyes a shade or two darker than usual, hinting at the contained rage boiling just beneath the surface. Blake was next, a small curve to her lips that widened when she caught sight of the bow, her gait graceful to the point that Weiss nearly missed the order to follow in her wake while desperately trying not to ogle the Faunus. Cardin and Dove fell into step beside her, though she slowed her step just as she passed Ruby's cell, giving her team leader the same encouraging expression the others had given her. The younger woman smiling brightly, of course, never one to let things drag her down for too long.

As a bonus to the last time she woke up, everyone looked well rested and at ease- even Yang seemed better now that she'd confirmed everyone was okay. No matter what happened, they were at the end of this ridiculous misunderstanding, no matter its destination, and they were confident things would tip in their favor.

The trip out to the parade field seemed shorter than the one down to the detention cells. Much like the previous day, the outskirts of the field were packed with Hunters, all falling silent as the 'accused' were lead to their positions, the case with their weapons off to Ruby's side. The officers were already seated, scrolls out, Captain Port chuckling at something one of the Lieutenants said. It seemed like a small eternity, though, until the General called for silence.

"Let the record show that this hearing has convened to hear the verdict in the trial of Huntress First Class Ruby Rose, Huntress Yang Xaio Long, Huntress Weiss Schnee, and Blake Belladonna." His eyes swept over them. "Do the accused have any last minute defenses?" Weiss subtly looked to her sides as they all remained silent. "Very well. Let the record show that the accused stand guilty of all charges and are hereby sentenced to summary execution."

A jolt went through her body, the same shock that passed over her when Captain Port pronounced that very sentence for Blake.

"What?" The same man shot to his feet, mustache quivering in fury. "General, reconsider-"

"The body of evidence was overwhelming in their favor-" Colonel Ozpin noted, sounding slightly bored despite the furrow in his brow.

Even Colonel Goodwitch seemed on their side, expression portraying shock. "General-"

"Enough." General Ironwood stood, openly glaring down at them. "The verdict and sentence stand. The Faunus is an enemy to Humanity and these women aided in her escape, leading to countless injuries of our Hunters during an enemy attack. The punishment for so high a treason is death. I'll not have the Regiment disrespected so horrendously on my watch."

Weiss felt her hands ball into fists, feeling the same fury from the last time she stood in this position overtaking shock much faster than before, the same sentiment roaring in her ears.

No. No, she wasn't going to just stand there and accept that ridiculous ruling. If they wanted to kill her so badly, kill _Blake_ so desperately, then they were going down fighting. She quickly took into account Cadin's chestplate, protecting his gut... but not lower.

Thankfully, the rest of her team seemed to be thinking the same thing, springing into action almost in sync.

Weiss turned and brought one fist into Cardin's groin, causing him to bend over double. A hand in his hair and on his belt, plus swinging her significantly lesser weight, put enough momentum into him to send the Huntsman crashing into his partner, both men sprawling. Typically, she didn't engage in such unrefined means of combat, but she had watched Yang's fighting techniques enough to get the gist of a bare knuckle brawl.

Two of her teammates were significantly better suited to this sort of fight, Yang instantly snapping her fists to the side and catching both of her guards across their chins, sending Pyrrha and Jaune stumbling. Blake, on the other hand, appeared to not move at all until the remaining members of Cardin's team, Sky and Russel, tried to grab her, the after image bursting into nothingness as the Faunus appeared a step behind them, striking the base of their necks with bladed hands, bringing them to the ground. Ruby, on the other hand, slipped away from Ren and Nora in a flutter of rose petals, reappearing in front of the case containing their weapons.

"I got her!" Nora cried, pulling that horribly huge hammer around for a swing as she leapt towards Ruby, who thankfully dodged the attack.

The case was not so lucky, shattering into pieces just from the shockwave of the blow that cratered into the parade field.

"Oops." The Huntress shrugged, readying for another strike as Weiss dashed towards the glimmer of Myrtenaster's glittering hilt. She was stopped by Dove reaching out for her, causing her to side step him while ducking Pyrrha's shield.

Before she had to contend with an armed and extremely dangerous Huntress, however, Yang launched into the woman's back, bearing them both to the ground and clearing the way for her to retrieve their weapons. Without them, they didn't stand a chance, especially as Cardin's team began righting themselves, Jaune barely holding his own against Blake as she conjured shadow clone after shadow clone to misdirect his attacks.

"Weiss!" Ruby shouted, followed by a throwing motion with her arm. Although nearly prepared for anything at this point, she felt surprise shoot through her conscious mind as Myrtenaster sailed through the air like a javelin, its tip heading straight for her. "Heads up!"

By some miracle, she managed to dodge the striking point of the blade and blindly grab near the chamber, which didn't have a razor sharp blade to slice through her fingers. "Thanks for the warning, you dolt!" She quickly shifted Myrtenaster, holding the weapon properly and pulling back the hammer, all the while grumbling to herself. "Who throws a sword at someone, really, one would think she'd keep a clearer head in such a dangerous time."

"Yang!"

Firing off a chilling blast of ice, Weiss stalled Pyrrha just long enough for the blonde to extricate herself from their tussle on the ground, diving to snatch up Ember Celica as the bracelets fell to the grass ahead of her. As Yang hurriedly tried to slip them on, Weiss had to turn her attention to Ren, summoning a shielding glyph as both of his autopistols came to bear.

"Blake!"

The Faunus was a shadow, slipping around her opponents as Gambol Shroud, sheath and all, sliced through the air. After sliding beneath Cardin and gaining her feet, Blake launched herself up, snatching her weapon in one hand and instantly swinging it around to deflect the Huntsman's mace.

Without even looking, Weiss could hear Crescent Rose being unleashed as well as a shotgun blast, signifying the sisters were armed once more.

"Weiss! Pop up!" Ruby called out, using one of the code words they'd devised during their first year. "Everyone, East on mark!"

Summoning a glyph beneath her feet, she quickly retreated before Ren and Jaune could slip around the ice shield, taking quick note of everyone's positions before changing chambers. Taking careful aim, she summoned propulsion glyphs beside each of her teammates' positions and one beneath hers, stabbing Myrtenaster's point between her feet. Although it took some maneuvering, the others quickly moved to stand over her glyphs, waiting for the signal.

"Ready... mark!"

A pull of the trigger and the glyphs did their job with a little added help from each of them jumping in tandem with the sudden explosion, sending each high into the air before landing well away from their would be executioners. Instantly, they turned and back pedaled until the barest hints of the others was in their peripheral, weapons held ready. Yang was on her right, bouncing slightly on the balls of her feet and the fresh scent of gunpowder hanging heavily on her, while Ruby was on her left, Crescent Rose's blade catching the morning sun. Behind her, Blake growled like a challenged panther ready to defend her territory. As it happened, Weiss ended up facing the stage, her eyes zeroing in on General Ironwood beyond Myrtenaster's blurry tip.

"A Hunter while under siege will never surrender or submit, instead fighting to the end with honor and integrity," she said, voice steady as General Ironwood's expression contorted from one of shock to the same cold determination when he'd ordered them attacked before. She had little doubt he would do the same now.

Yang snorted. "Way to be dramatic about it."

"I thought it was a nice touch." Ruby readjusted her grip on Crescent Rose. "Really cements this as a tragedy, ya know?"

"A story they'll tell for decades, I'm sure." Blake offered, a growl roughening the edges of her words.

"Again, you've forced my hand, Schnee." He hopped down from the stage, stalking towards them. "We'll handle them the same as last time."

"Handle them yourself!" Captain Port chortled, not moving from his seat. "I'm not risking my neck on this fool's errand of a notion, that's for damned sure!"

"Likewise." Colonel Goodwitch adjusted her glasses. "If you're so convinced of their guilt, carry out their sentence yourself, General."

"I'm willing to bet you won't, though, and not for lack of trying." Colonel Ozpin shrugged. "I seem to recall things were not easy last time, and _this_ time, they are considerately angrier, and a complete team. I think I'll... observe and take notes."

The Lieutenants shared a glance. "It seems improper to attack someone who spared our lives last time."

Her twin nodded. "Especially when it risked her own."

Captain Torchwick was utterly engrossed in his scroll. "Don't look at me. I'm _not_ getting in the middle of this."

The last of the command team, Major Fall, tilted her head to the side, a smirk on her lips. "Seems you've been outvoted, General."

The General narrowed his eyes. "This is mutiny."

"You're the one splitting us, Ironwood," Colonel Ozpin replied, tapping his cane against the stage. "You _know_ this is the wrong decision."

The teams of Hunters formerly guarding them looked between each other, slowly drifting apart until they were with their respective teammates. Jaune's team all exchanged a look before holstering their weapons and crossing their arms, a silent refusal to continue fighting.

Cardin's team, however, was a bit more reluctant to give up the fight, their leader's glare focused just over the heiress' shoulder.

" _I_... am the commanding officer of this Regiment. It is my express duty to protect it from threats both within _and_ without." The General's jaw worked, muscles standing out prominently before he sighed. "But if you fools are suddenly having a crisis of conscience, very well. Those who refuse to fight will not be charged with insubordination." He turned his gaze towards them once more. "But neither will those who act to terminate the traitors."

Weiss steeled herself, bringing the hammer back and calling his bluff. Although she wasn't counting on support, the decrease in odds stacked against them certainly boosted her confidence.

"Incoming! Scatter!"

Blake suddenly shouted and there was no time for her to even process where the attack originated, leaping forward a second before the air behind her became charged and exploded, dirt and grass flying. The moment she caught her balance, Weiss turned, weapon ready to fend off whoever managed to sneak in behind them. She was momentarily stunned when the tip of a very familiar spear was pointed in her direction, Smalt's glinting eyes boring into her.

"So we meet again." He smirked, wings spread wide as he lifted the tip of the blade skyward, the crack of lightning erupting from its point and striking into the air, somehow setting off a chain of explosions reaching high over the parade field.

"North side! Take cover!"

Blake's warning came just in time, the perimeter wall shattering as explosions tore through a weak point left over from the last White Fang attack, Faunus of all shapes and sizes pouring through the opening before the dust even settled, some aided by their blood borne abilities while others trudged through the rubble, about a quarter of them missing the distinctive helmets of the soldiers beside them. Bits of brick and mortar rained onto the parade field, though the bigger chunks were either disintegrated by various Hunters' weapons or glanced off shields raised by others.

"Aha! _Now_ the enemy appears!" Captain Port laughed, pulling his blunderbuss ax free. The rest of the officers were readying their own weapons, focused entirely on the Fangs pouring through the breach in Beacon's defenses. "Hunters! Prepare for battle!"

"Brothers and Sisters! Destroy the Human scum!" Smalt's voice was powerful as he raised his spear. "Leave none alive! Claim your birthright!" The assembled Faunus roared in reply, surging forward as the Hunters gathered around the parade field began their own charge to meet them. Swinging his birdlike gaze to her, Smalt lowered his spear again. "You, on the other hand, are mine. I will not stand to have some disgusting Human steal away our Alpha."

"Though I'm loathe to pretend she didn't have a hand in the decision herself." Weiss narrowed her eyes, settling into her stance and ignoring the cacophony of sounds around her as the larger battle was joined. "I'm quite sure I made it clear that any subsequent challenges would receive no mercy."

"Pretty last words, little Schnee."

"No," she replied. "The last words you hear will be that Blake is _mine_."

Sufficiently enraged, Smalt surged forward, spear arcing with electricity as it stabbed towards her. The attack itself was easy to parry but Weiss had to duck in order to avoid being slammed into by the White Fang leader, quickly regaining her feet as he hovered overhead.

"In a cave, you may have the advantage." He beat his wings, rising up high before diving down at her. "But in an open field, you're just _prey_!"

With her focus entirely on Smalt, Weiss summoned a glyph and hoped she could discourage or dispatch him quickly. In the chaos, they stood a chance of escaping before either side noticed they were gone.

At present, that was their best hope.

* * *

From the moment she caught the faintest outline of his shadow, Blake cursed their luck. Of course Smalt would choose _now_ , of all times, to launch another strike against Beacon's headquarters. As if this entire situation wasn't dangerous enough, now they would be forced to contend with yet another hostile force eager to rip their throats out.

Smalt, his attention focused on Weiss, was her main concern until she saw the General running at the woman's undefended back, his gaze locked on her. Instantly, she called to mind her promise, lips pulling back in a feral snarl as she catapulted herself into action, jumping from shadow clone to shadow clone to reach Weiss' rear, blocking off the General's cowardly attempt at catching her off guard.

"Going somewhere, _Sir_." She growled, Gambol Shroud held aloft, the black ribbon wound around her arm already fastened back to her beloved weapon. It made her feel whole, complete, but no less at ease with how drastically the situation had changed.

General Ironwood stopped short, just barely out of Gambol's normal reach and in a ready fighting stance. "I'm not an unreasonable man, Belladonna." He narrowed his eyes. "Flee with the other animals back to your hovel and we won't pursue; you managed as much before, did you not?" His gaze flicked to Weiss as she battled Smalt. "Just leave the Humans. They're _my_ responsibility."

"Don't disgrace yourself by begging for your life." She spat, ears pinning back against her skull. "You won't ever touch Weiss again."

"On the contrary. I'll kill her myself."

The feline within her roared, fury burning into every muscle, but she held fast, watching him, and some part of her was amused at his attempt to provoke her into action. Disregarding, of course, that it almost worked, but that was where he'd always underestimate her, as most Humans did. The Faunus weren't mere animals and her iron clad control on her feral side was about to be put to the test. "Empty threats hold no sway over me."

"Just like the beast that birthed you, feigning indifference but needy all the same." He jeered while his fists tightened, switching tracks to goad her further. "Tell me, do you bring them dead birds as offerings, kitten?"

"No, but I may bring her your head for a wedding present."

Then she caught it, the action the General was waiting for; Cardin's heavy tromps as he charged at her from the right while Dove swooped in from the left. That he thought such a simple tactic would work was mildly insulting, but she pretended to not notice either of them until they were both already midswing, drawing on the red Dust Weiss had given her before the whole train fiasco to leave behind a shadow clone fit to burst. As she pounced forward, Gambol Shroud slicing through the air at her target, the Hunters were blasted away behind her, their clothes charred by the augmented clone. By their groaning, she could tell they weren't dead, though that was certainly the least of her present concerns.

The General, curse him, managed to jump back in time to avoid her initial swipe, but she was relentless in her pursuit, driving him as far away from Weiss as she could manage without getting cut off. If another team of Hunters decided to try attacking Weiss, she wanted to be close by to stop them.

But Ironwood was her primary target, his brow creasing in concentration, analyzing the situation. Thankfully, his taunts ceased as he launched himself at her, fast enough to leave behind a faint after image, either as a result of using his Semblance or some other trick, she couldn't be sure. It did him little good, however, when his fist collided with Gambol's sheath, their eyes meeting over the edge.

"Unruly beast."

"Racist hypocrite." Blake pushed, sending the General stumbling back a few steps and leaving behind a shadow clone for him to charge, slipping around to his side and going in for another attack.

Truthfully, she wasn't _trying_ to kill him.

But she _really_ wanted to at this point.

* * *

Weiss ducked another swipe of razor sharp talons before calling forth a glyph, speeding away from Smalt's superior reach. A beat of his wings meant her reprieve was going to be short lived, however.

Weiss huffed in annoyance. Not that she expected any of this to be easy but it was starting to sincerely irritate her how taxing this little debacle continued to be. Really, why did every male power figure in her life _insist_ on being an obstacle? First her father, then the Captain, _then_ the General, _and now_ this feathered nitwit _twice_ \- she was beginning to see the appeal of a strictly matriarchal society.

It wasn't like they were even asking for much aside from being left alone. Leave Blake alone, leave the sisters alone, let them leave and make some sort of living in a village somewhere; was that _really_ so difficult?

As her internal raging continued, Weiss kept moving, dodging talons and spearhead alike, using her glyphs to change her direction and speed erratically. Smalt was able to follow every move, far more mobile than during their duel and using the lightning Dust from his spear to cut her off every time she tried to gain the upper hand.

But she had the advantage of being stubborn as hell and sufficiently motivated to knock that crazed smile off his face. In her mind, she was still winning.

* * *

Crescent Rose cut through the air, detonating a few Dust enhanced shots that were aimed at one of the combatants behind her. The moment Smalt made his appearance, Ruby and Yang realized that trying to help Weiss wouldn't be very well received; this was more of a personal battle between the two than anything, so the sisters left them to it, Ruby keeping a keen eye on her teammate in the event the White Fang leader pulled a fast one. Blake had already chosen her target, keeping General Ironwood busy and away from interfering, so Yang kept an eye on her while punching, kicking, or bodily throwing anyone who tried to intervene.

Which included the hulking Huntsman stumbling towards her presently, a wicked smile coming to her lips as he blindly reached out and grabbed her jacket, hair faintly smoking.

"Hey, Cardin." The blonde's smile widened as she grabbed his forearm and realization dawned on his face. "I _warned_ you, jackass."

Before he could swing his mace at her, Yang pulled on his arm and crouched down, exploding up as her fist connected with his protected midsection. Between her brute strength and Ember Celica's shot, Cardin was launched into the air, tumbling head over heels before landing on some poor Fang with an ax. A moment later, Dove shot past her with the rest of his team in tow, on a mission to rescue their team leader.

Off to the side, Ruby used the momentum from Crescent Rose's blast to increase the force of her arcing swing, sending a line of White Fang soldiers stumbling backwards before they were set upon by Hunters from different companies. The whole parade field had devolved into a massive melee, the screeching of steel punctuated by the booms of shots fired and the occasional Dust explosion.

A quick glance over their shoulders confirmed their teammates were still locked in one-on-one combat, for the most part, which meant they were doing a good job holding off any interlopers.

"Do you get the feeling this is never going to end?" The younger of the duo asked abruptly, pulling a fresh magazine from her pouch and dropping the empty one.

"I wouldn't complain," the older replied, flexing her fingers briefly before taking up her boxer's stance as a few Fangs charged towards them. She flashed Ruby a grin. "It's better than being bored!" As Ruby rolled her eyes, Yang's widened in shock, the distinctive mask of the White Fang materializing from seemingly nowhere as a grizzly Faunus appeared just behind her sister. "Ruby!"

In the time it took for Yang to take a step, fist cocked back and ready to swing, and for Ruby to turn and start activating her Semblance, the White Fang soldier was smashed in the face with the back side of a spade, sending him careening wildly into a group of his fellows. Yang stopped short, not wanting to waste either the ammo or the energy, while Ruby beamed.

"Oh, hi Mr. Skifer!"

"You are way too happy right now, pup." The dog eared Faunus grinned, the pole of the shovel still clutched in his hands. It was nothing more than a reinforced garden tool but seemed to be doing the job alright. "And drop the mister. Never liked titles."

The three of them turned as a Huntress charged the Faunus, both hands curled around the grip of a claymore. Before she could get within range to use it, however, a thin line of black curled around one ankle, the line pulling taunt and sending her to the ground.

"Are we really doing this?" Radia appeared, flicking her wrist to uncoil the whip.

Skif shrugged. "If not now, when?"

"What's going on?" Ruby sidestepped a poor shot- at this point, it was difficult to tell who was attacking who in the fray, if the attacks were intentional or not- while Yang delivered a quick one-two jabbing combo to discourage a Hunter heading to support the General.

Skifer grinned. "We're rebelling."

"Actually, I believe the proper word is 'revolting'." Radia corrected, using her whip to draw a Faunus away from attacking Yang and headbutting him into unconsciousness. "Rebellions get crushed."

"You have more confidence in us succeeding than I do."

"How are you going to do that?" Ruby spun, sending the back side of the scythe into a Huntsman's jaw. "Revolt, I mean."

"Yeah." Yang grunted, tossing a White Fang soldier into an approaching Huntress and letting the two become focused on each other. "Ain't it a little late to object to this?"

"Well, yeah, but we've got a better plan." Skifer turned, using the shovel's heavy end to knock the wind out of two approaching Huntsmen.

"Namely: knock some sense into everyone and hope it gets through." Radia flicked her wrist in a continuous motion, sending the tip of her whip snapping against Human and Faunus alike, confusing those it touched or tripping them, sending them sprawling into enemies and comrades alike.

A series of explosions drew their gazes to the center of the parade field, cracks and streaks of different colored Dust flashing through the air as Weiss and Blake, standing back-to-back, deflected the attacks sent their way by Smalt, Ironwood, and whoever else seemed keen on trying their hand at it. Myrtenaster and Gambol Shroud flashed dangerously through the clouds of smoke and dirt kicked up by every shot, glyphs and shadow clones appearing seemingly at random to detonate rounds prematurely, turning the whole display into a fantastic array of colors, and neither the white haired woman nor the Faunus seemed ready to give up, despite the exhaustion beginning to weigh down their limbs.

Yang shook her arms, ejecting the empty shells as she grabbed a fresh belt of ammo for Ember Celica. "I suddenly feel like we're not pulling our weight."

Ruby scanned the field. For the most part, the White Fang and Hunters were engaged with each other, leaving only small pockets of uncontested soldiers from either side to harass the duelers in the center. "Well, there's four of us. If we each take a side, we can at least bring it back down to a one-on-one fight. I'll take the far side."

"I'll stay right here." Yang turned, bringing her fists up while Skifer and Radia bounded off in opposite directions, the flutter of rose petals the only sign of Ruby's departure. The blonde was on the side closest to the perimeter breach, where the majority from both sides were brawling, which just brought a smile to her lips.

Knocking some sense into people was a skill she'd honed rather well over the years. Time to put it to the test.

* * *

The incoming fire thinned suddenly, leaving Weiss almost grateful for the reprieve before she remembered that blocking the seemingly endless volley _was_ a break in itself. Without the superior firepower backing him, Smalt returned to his tactic of slashing and stabbing at her, changing his altitude abruptly to try and find a weakness in her defenses. Only by the virtue of the speed granted by her glyphs did she stay just out of his reach, dodging and ducking his attacks, parrying only when absolutely necessary.

Smalt's blows were unbelievably strong, sending a shock through her body every time she couldn't manage to get away and was forced to defend herself with Myrtenaster. Sweat dripped down her face as she summoned another shielding glyph, ignoring the explosions behind her, yet she found herself barely able to keep up as he pressed every advantage. Then again, it could very well be that she exerted herself far more than he did during their last duel and even before that, leaving her still less than her peak performance.

"Having trouble, Human?" Smalt lunged at her, the tip of the spear coming within inches of biting into her side. "I thought you weren't going to be as _charitable_ this time around?"

Weiss kept her guard up, briefly weighing her options. On the one hand, she could provoke him and hope he did something foolish while, on the other, she could try something tricky and hope it worked. Either way, sustained combat wasn't going to work to her favor, especially with how quick he was able to maneuver in the open air.

"Let me guess." His expression twisted into a sneer. "Cat got your tongue?"

She raised a brow, pulled her lips into a lazy smile, cycled quickly to the necessary chamber, summoned a glyph beneath her feet... and reluctantly thanked Yang's ever inappropriate comments for giving her a vague idea of how to properly utilize innuendo. " _Every_ night."

That provoked him just enough, wings lending him speed as he lunged for her again with a strangled cry of rage. Activating the glyph, Weiss exploded up into the air, calling another and repeating the process, drawing the White Fang leader up after her. It was an easy adjustment for him, changing direction into a steep climb, spear already charging with electricity and gaining on her as she continued higher.

Before she could reach the limit of her endurance, Weiss pushed off one glyph into a backflip, conjuring another before she could complete it and pushing off, reversing her momentum instantly and sending her headfirst into a dive at Smalt. The winged Faunus couldn't adjust in time, lashing out with his spear at the same time she plunged with Myrtenaster's tip pointed directly at his chest.

The discharge from the spear missed her but barely, the heat of it causing her scar to throb in phantom pain as her own blade snuck between ribs, embedding itself into his chest. Already a fair distance from the ground, Weiss had no choice but to grab hold of the blasted spear with her unoccupied hand while one of Smalt's wrapped around her throat, the metal talons biting into her skin as they fell.

The impact was jarring, knocking the wind from her chest, what little she was able to pull in through the painful hold on her throat. Beady eyes glared at her, lips pulled back in a snarl as Smalt gasped.

"You... little..."

Regaining her bearings and fighting off the impending darkness of oxygen deprivation, Weiss mustered in her loudest voice. "Blake. Is. Mine!"

Then, she pulled the trigger, ice shooting from Myrtenaster's tip into the enclosed space of Smalt's chest, bursting forth a moment later in a cold blast that knocked her free of his death grip. She greedily sucked in air, pushing herself up on shaking legs while trying to desperately blink her world back into focus.

* * *

Blake growled, snarling in frustration as Ironwood continued meeting her attacks head on with startling force and accuracy. She'd expected as much from the leader of the finest Hunters Corps Regiment, of course, but to be faced with it and unable to gain any ground- especially given the stakes- was grating on her pride, to say the least. Not to mention the slight dissonance caused by what she was seeing and experiencing: Ironwood fought her bare handed yet was able to meet every strike of Gambol Shroud without so much as a wince. It almost insulted her, if she hadn't caught the faint scent of brown Dust when he managed to clock her earlier. Just like the hot rocks, his gloves were infused with Dust, lending them a nigh indestructible stability that could spell disaster if he managed to land another clean blow.

If she had any saving graces, it was that the animal within her refused to back down from this challenge and that her fighting style was so at odds with his that she could catch him by surprise without using her shadow clones every time. Still, she was relying on them so much, even her robust energy was beginning to wane.

After swinging both Gambol Shroud and its sheath, only for the strikes to be knocked aside while Ironwood stepped in close, Blake pushed off of the clone she left behind to gain distance, panting heavily and flicking an ear behind her, trying to pinpoint Weiss' location.

"I tire of your games, Belladonna." Ironwood tilted his head to the side, popping his neck.

"You're the one who insisted on playing." She spat, fighting the urge to look away. She couldn't hear Weiss behind her, just the furious beating of Smalt's wings.

The General sighed. "I _insisted_ on order. Discipline. Honor. Upholding the traditions of this Regiment."

"Coming from a man who rigged a trial, I'd say you got exactly what you gave." She waved the sheath, indicating the battle raging around them. "Your soldiers- _our_ comrades- are fighting for their lives while you pursue a petty vendetta."

"This is not a vendetta; this is penance for the crimes against my Regiment, against _me._ " His eyes deviated briefly before he smiled. "But I suppose the sentence has been carried out for me."

Whatever fatigue she might've been feeling disappeared at that moment, Blake whirling around as her eyes searched for Weiss' form. Every sense was on edge, recognizing the taunt as a possible lie and unable to resist verifying it with her own eyes. A lead weight seemed to drop into her gut as her gaze snapped to the plummeting forms of her teammate and that blasted bird brained bastard, eyes widening as she spotted the black talons wrapped around Weiss' slender throat.

"Weiss!" She almost started a mad dash to break their falls when she caught the heavy tread of the General bearing down on her. On pure instinct, she ducked, leaving behind a clone for Ironwood to smash his thrice damned fist into, shattering it into pieces.

But he just kept running, eyes focused on his _real_ target.

Blake sprinted forward to catch up, changing Gambol's form to the pistol and tossing it ahead of them both, pulling sharply on the ribbon to fire a shot straight at Ironwood's head. He dodged it, sliding down as soon as Gambol appeared in front of him, but that motion decreased his speed just enough. As she bore down on him, pulling the pistol back into her hand, Blake narrowed her entire focus to the kill stroke.

He was _not_ going to get near Weiss again.

Sensing her close, Ironwood planted one foot and swung blindly behind him, transferring all his momentum into that single blow that likely would've shattered bones if it connected. Instead, Blake pulled the trigger, leaving behind another explosive copy of herself while she ducked around the man. She was about to twist and bite into his back with the sheath when her hearing caught the crunching crash of Smalt and Weiss hitting the ground, fangs grinding down as she imagined the pain such a landing would cause.

Ironwood stumbled when his fist hit her clone, shielding his face from the resulting combustion and lashing out with a kick that, in her momentary distraction, managed to trip her. Blake rolled with the change in momentum, though, and found her feet at the same time as her ears caught Weiss' voice.

Something about hearing those words, loudly gasped through a chokehold, brought the entire world into a sharper focus as her opponent took a step towards her, trying to move her out of his way.

Blake pulled the trigger repeatedly and summoned clone after clone, running in a circle around him, forcing him to remain stationary for a moment. Ironwood took the bait, lashing out to detonate each of her copies before setting his sights on her, standing before Weiss with both blades raised and pure defiance gleaming in her eyes. One, two steps, his fist pulled back and aura focused into the blow... that never came. Instead, he was jerked to a stop, both fists flying to his own throat as Gambol Shroud's ribbon wrapped tight around his neck, scrabbling to free himself; he realized too late that the image in front of him was yet another clone.

Blake didn't have a clever parting line ready as she kneed the General in the back, forcing him to his knees while he gasped for breath, both the sheath and sword poised to strike. No conscious thought that could translate into words was in her mind, just a primal need to eradicate the threat in the surest way, which meant no hesitation when she finally lined up the perfect strike, bringing both sharp edges in to bite at Ironwood's neck. Sheer force separated skin and muscle, his body going slack the moment she severed his spine and slumping forward a moment before his disembodied head hit the grass and rolled, face forever stuck in desperate shock.

Breathing heavily, Blake tilted her head back and roared triumphantly, perhaps the most noise she'd ever made in her entire life packed into this single moment of victory. There was no concept of future or past or anything aside from the liberation of a fate she didn't want.

"Blake?" Amber eyes snapped to the source of the name, weak sounding and followed by a wheezing cough. Weiss had lines of red marring her throat and the left side of her face looked tender, swollen, and red but she was standing, Myrtenaster clutched in her hand.

She tried to will her voice to form words but the concept of language was just a bit beyond her grasp. Belatedly, she realized the beast she'd coaxed out of hiding was dominating her rational mind, tempting her to forget their present surroundings in favor of marking the woman who'd claimed her. All too swiftly, the struggle raging all around them became utterly unimportant, her body shivering from the force of trying to contain whatever the animal side of her desired.

"Blake?"

The Faunus grit her teeth and closed her eyes, fighting an invisible battle to retake her own mind. Smalt had always warned about this, that giving in to the beast for too long or too completely would lead to the 'ultimate ascension', as he put it. It's _exactly_ what he did, after becoming the Alpha, and the last clear sign that he had chosen the path of pure madness. Turning the Fangs to bloodlust had won them more than enough battles and she'd refused to follow that path any further. Her enemy was gone; she didn't need the beast's help anymore.

_She didn't._

Blake was startled out of her internal war by a flick on her nose, of all things, and her eyes instantly fell on the woman standing before her, a tired but amused grin on her lips.

"Of course the one time I actually want to hear you say something, you decide to shut up," Weiss said, equal parts chiding and exasperation with an undercurrent of complete exhaustion. Already, her aura was working to mend the wounds Smalt inflicted upon her, but the process was slow. "Are you alright, Blake?"

"Fine." She nodded, taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly, her awareness returning gradually. It seemed as though the beast was not too keen on pressing the white haired woman, retreating for the moment and returning control to her rational side. "You?"

"I'm fine." Weiss took a step and faltered, Blake swiftly moving to catch her, supporting her weight as the woman tried to regain her bearings. "Okay, so perhaps not quite _fine_ , but I'm getting there."

"You don't have to put on a brave face for me, Princess." Blake tried to keep her tone light despite the tension rising in her shoulders. Whether Weiss noticed it or not, the sounds of battle were dying slowly, either because one side was being routed, retreating, or her senses were just narrowing considerably to take full stock of her immediate area, it was difficult to say.

"Weiss! Blake!" A flurry of rose petals were the only warning before a hundred pounds of happy slammed into their sides. Luckily, Blake was stable enough to keep the lot of them from hitting the ground, though she suspected that wouldn't survive if-

"Yeah! You two kicked _ass_!" From the other side, strong arms wrapped around them in a group hug that caused Weiss to lightly complain about the heat still rolling of Yang as their feet briefly left the ground. "Go Team RWBY!"

Wood met bone as the blonde yelped out and released them. "Stop being a brat."

"Dude, not cool."

Blake turned her head, one arm still wrapped around Weiss to help support her, and took in the sight of their teammates, plus Skifer and Radia.

"If we're going to make our escape, we should probably do it while everyone's distracted." Weiss muttered, head tucked in against Blake's shoulder.

"Um... about that." Ruby nervously chuckled, prompting all of them to take stock of the parade field.

Somehow, every assembled warrior- Human and Faunus alike- had their attention turned towards the center of the field, some watching in bare faced amazement and shock while others fumed with silent fury.

Sliding the sheath back onto Gambol Shroud, Blake raised the weapon in defense, angling her body to try and shield Weiss, who was- of course- doing the same with Myrtenaster, Yang taking up a position in front of them, fists up and ready, while Ruby had their back, making a show of reloading Crescent Rose.

Skifer and Radia offset themselves slightly, flanking Ruby, while the ram horned Faunus made light of the situation. "Blake, this seems to be a recurring thing with you: impossible odds, tactical disadvantage, _really_ poor timing."

"That was once and it wasn't my fault they had robots," Blake replied, shrugging off the comment. "Also, we survived that."

"Let's keep that streak going then, shall we?" Weiss shifted more of her weight away and the Faunus reluctantly let her, amber eyes scanning for any hint of the first to attack.

Silence reigned, ready for the pin to drop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shit. Got. Real. Alternate chapter title: "And Then There's THIS Asshole!"


	8. Short Lived

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: You know the drill by now, yeah? I own nothing.

Weiss scanned the crowd, Humans and Faunus mixed together among the smoldering craters and debris from the violent struggle. Surprisingly, there were few limp bodies on the ground, though many looked severely wounded and on the verge of collapse. Despite the volatile nature of the conflict, it seemed that the relatively short battle hadn't given enough time for the attackers to break the aura of their opponents, at least not completely.

However, now that they were enemies of _both_ sides, she couldn't help but lament the lack of incapacitations. Anything that improved their odds would be rather welcomed at that moment, truthfully.

"Well." Captain Port drawled, shouldering his blunderbuss while swiping at his mustache. "I suppose it's time to receive new marching orders."

His gaze was directed at Colonel Goodwitch, who then looked to Colonel Ozpin, who... turned his gaze upon Blake.

"Well, General?"

The Faunus' ears twitched. "What?"

Weiss felt her grip on Myrtenaster falter for a moment before she managed to recall one particularly outdated- yet, apparently, still relevant- clause from _Hunter's Creed_.

"A Master Hunter, an officer among soldiers, is charged with ensuring only the most valiant and competent are fit to bear the rank. A Master Hunter must be the pinnacle of combat prowess." She recited, recalling the passage with startling clarity. "As a test of bravery, fidelity, honor, and ability, the Master Hunter must challenge the next Hunter to bear the rank and be defeated in single combat. Thus, the challenger becomes the Master, to bear the burden until defeat by the next in line or death at the hands of the enemy."

Colonel Ozpin nodded. "Albeit, it's not exactly a _common_ practice nowadays for obvious reasons. Ironwood dug his own grave by attacking your fidelity to the Hunters Corps and setting the outcome to death." He tapped his cane against the ground. "Funny thing: we were actually scheduled to repeal that clause during this week's staff meeting, now that I think about it. How strange fate can be."

"Well, _yeah_ , that might be a good idea!" Ruby ran a hand through her short hair. "I mean, why was that even a rule in the first place? That's _so_ silly!"

"Are you kidding? That's awesome!" Yang laughed. "Are you telling me the only thing I hand to do this whole time was punch one of you through a wall, and I'd get to be an officer? How did I not know this?"

"You act as if that's an easy feat to accomplish." One of the Lieutenants remarked, drawing the blonde's gaze their way.

"Hey... aren't you the ones who _knocked my little sister out_." The light, joking tone from earlier was replaced with one that threatened unspeakable violence, her Semblance fanned brighter as her eyes shifted to red.

The twins wisely opted not to reply, allowing Colonel Goodwitch to redirect everyone's attention.

"Only the officer can initiate the challenge, as Ironwood did." She clarified before rolling right along. "Regardless of missed opportunities, General Belladonna _is_ , by Creed and regulation, our commanding officer now." Her eyes fell on Blake. "Given the gravity of the situation, I suggest orders be issued swiftly, General."

The Faunus beside her stiffened and Weiss chanced looking her way briefly to gauge her reaction. "Blake?"

Her reply was soft, bordering on helpless. "I tell them to fight and it condemns my people. I tell them to stand down and it condemns my friends."

She bit her lip, trying to think of something that could alleviate the situation. "Wait, aren't you still the Alpha?"

"No, Miss Weiss." Her gaze fell on the elderly, tusked Faunus from before, though she rapidly started reevaluating her initial impression of him, seeing the signs of battle on his clothes and skin, blood splashed on one tusk as he rested the pole of a warhammer against his shoulder. " _You_ are the Alpha now."

She blinked in barefaced surprise. "Me?"

He nodded, a few of the Faunus around him instantly objecting, the loudest of which the redheaded, bull horned one with the stylized mask.

"After fighting for so long, you would have us the slaves to a Schnee?" He sneered. "Where is your pride, Ehinerin?"

"Where is your honor?" The tusked Faunus replied, seeming unfazed by the accusation leveled against him. "You would follow Smalt to your dying breath, betray the tenets of those who came before him, but the moment you don't like the outcome of his policies, you balk?" Ehinerin snorted. "You're more fickle than the desert rain, Adam."

Although bristling in anger, Adam said nothing, allowing the tusked Faunus to turn his attention to Weiss once more.

"No matter how difficult a pill it is to swallow, the moment Smalt bent his own rules, it turned against him. By yielding to Weiss' claim, he confirmed her a suitable member of the pack. With Blake's acceptance, she became a Fang, the same as any of you, even if she was subsequently banished from the den. And with Smalt's direct challenge, he sealed his fate." Ehinerin shook his head, throwing a slightly amused grin towards Colonel Ozpin. "We have always had more in common than we desired to admit."

As murmurs of surprise spread around them, Weiss and Blake turned to regard each other, their teammates edging closer as well.

In her mind, Weiss was still trying to process everything. It seemed beyond fantastic, the very concept that everything could be wrapped up so neatly, no need for further bloodshed. She was almost tempted to ask aloud what the catch was, how things could possibly be that simple, and she could see in those amber eyes the desire to do the same warring with the urge to just accept it. Embrace it fully, let this whole bloody mess come to a gentle and decisive end. Perhaps they couldn't fix the world in a night but in their hands was a chance to end the war in Vale and build something better from it.

"Um, hey, no pressure or anything, but you guys might wanna say something, ya know, _soon_." Ruby was glancing around worriedly as the tempers began to rise all around them, harsh words the prelude to harsher actions.

"Enough!" Weiss called above the rising din, harkening back to those same lessons her father insisted upon, speech and eloquence harped on as imperative to any business leader worth their salt. She tilted her head slightly to catch Blake's attention, lowering her voice. "You call each other brother and sister, yes?" The Faunus nodded minutely, and Weiss drew a breath before raising her voice once more. "Brothers and Sisters of the Fang, hold your fire."

"Hunters!" Blake swept her gaze across the parade field. "Stand down."

Weiss set Myrtenaster at her hip, raising her chin and squaring her shoulders as Blake replaced Gambol Shroud on her back. Behind them, Ember Celica and Crescent Rose were stowed away as well, Skifer flipping the shovel around to lightly set the spade in the dirt while Radia curled up her whip. Slowly, Hunters and Fangs sheathed and holstered their weapons, the soft clicks and slides setting an uneasy backdrop to the strange truce.

Not everyone disarmed, though, Adam glancing around in disgust. "So that's it, then? After more than a century of defending ourselves from our oppressors, we submit to the Humans without so much as a fight?"

"I said nothing about surrender or submission." Weiss allowed the indignation in her voice to flow freely, bristling as she continued. "I'll not have any under my command surrender or submit either, to any. The Fangs will fight as they have always fought: to protect the Faunus people."

"A rich sentiment coming from the likes of you."

She narrowed her eyes slightly before seeing the humor in the comment, chuckling softly. "I'm certain that will be the only rich thing about me soon."

Adam raised his weapon, the long sheath of the chokutō barely concealing the barrel at the end. "Oh, I'm sure your father will reward you _heavily_ when you bring him Faunus in chains."

"On the contrary, he'll have me assassinated for daring to love one," Weiss replied coolly, ignoring Ruby's happy chirp, Yang's triumphant whoop, and the slight twitch in Blake's ears. Her focus was entirely dedicated to meeting the masked gaze of the Faunus challenging her. "Not to mention becoming the leader of the Vale Fangs and treating Faunus as they should be treated: as equals and nothing less. If he survives the heart attack _that_ bit of news gives him, I'll be admittedly a little impressed."

Adam grit his teeth, making as if he was going to fire when another Faunus- the one with the monkey tail- reached out and pressed his arm down. "Sun-"

"Adam, _listen_ for once." Sun pleaded, tail flicking side-to-side. "We have a chance to end the fighting. We have a chance for _peace_. Can't we at least listen before we jump to conclusions?"

The bull horned Faunus grit his teeth but lowered his weapon all the same, remaining silent.

Blake's ears twitched again before she took the pause to address the Humans, a sudden sense of urgency in her tone. "Hunters, I will firmly remind each of you that the oath we vow to uphold protects Humanity from all threats." She nodded towards Weiss. "Though the Faunus people will no longer be a menace to Humanity, those who endanger this alliance _will_ be considered such." Amber eyes fell on the officers. "I expect each of us to continue protecting those who are in need and ending threats that could compromise us in the face of our _mutual_ enemy."

Yang actually snickered. "Really? Don't we have enough on our plate without bringing up the Grimm for no reason? Come on, I think everyone gets the point: play nice for a while. It's not a hard concept."

When Blake turned her gaze skyward, Weiss felt her stomach sink. "I wasn't bringing it up for no reason, Yang."

Everyone turned their attention to the sky visible over the destroyed section of the perimeter wall, dotted with black shapes moving steadily closer. Now that a shocked silence had fallen over those assembled, the distant tromping of a stampede could be heard rolling through the forest, shaking the trees it didn't topple. Probably the greatest concentration of the soulless beasts in at least a few decades was heading their way, straight for the weakened defenses of Beacon's HQ.

"Oh, right." Ruby slowly nodded. "The largest battle between opposing forces in recent history _would_ draw the Grimm to the center of all that negative energy."

Weiss sighed, scanning the field again, taking in the weary and wounded state of both sides. She idly lifted a hand to massage her temple, willing away the building headache. "There's no option to retreat, is there?"

She felt Blake take the hand not massaging her temple, offering a small smile. "There's not enough vehicles and the stampede is already too close. The only way to retreat would be to abandon the majority to save the few."

"That's not an option." She sniffed, drawing Myrtenaster as smoothly as possible, pushing aside her body's protests against the action. "Then we have to _force_ them to work together."

"We can try." The Faunus shifted her gaze, raising Gambol Shroud above her head. "Beacon Hunters, listen up! Move the wounded into the basements! Those of you who can fight, form up with me!"

Myrtenaster joined Gambol Shroud a moment later. "Brothers and Sisters of the Fang, use the auxiliary building basement for our fallen." She nodded towards the indicated building, a reinforced training room neglected in warmer months. "Those of you with the nerve, follow me."

She and Blake stepped off together, heading towards the broken wall despite their own weariness. Yang and Ruby were beside them almost instantly, the four walking abreast as the wounded were evacuated from the field. Without turning to look back, Weiss could hear the growing number of footsteps falling in behind them, weapons reloading, blades clicking into place, shields returning to battle ready positions. The uneasy tension of enemies-turned-allies was unmistakable but they marched onwards regardless, gazes focused ahead.

When they halted at the break, hoping to use what remained of the perimeter wall for cover and to funnel the Grimm into a deadly crossfire, an army of Fangs and Hunters stood at their back, though admittedly a shadow of the strength that had engaged in the previous battle.

"So... anybody got a plan?" Yang glanced at them with a grin on her lips. "I'm all for 'smash whatever gets close enough' but we _may_ want to get a little more organized than that."

Weiss nodded, eyes flitting around the edges of the crumbling wall before turning to the younger woman at her side. "Ruby? Suggestions?"

"What? Me?" Shouldering Crescent Rose, Ruby chuckled and ran a hand through her messy hair. "Isn't Blake the leader now? She's the General-"

"And you're my team leader," the Faunus said, offering a small smile.

"Wait, you both- I'm still...?" Ruby blinked before breaking into a wide grin. "Does that make me, like, the Queen of Vale?"

"Sure, Your Highness." Yang mockingly bowed, sweeping a hand towards the incoming Grimm. "Now, about that battle plan?"

"Oh, right." Silver eyes scanned the area quickly. "Long distance shooters up on the wall and melee combatants on the ground; we'll have to launch a volley at the beginning and bring down as many of those nevermores as possible. Hopefully, they'll drop onto whatever's coming through the forest and thin the numbers a little."

The ground beneath them was slowly beginning to tremble.

"When the horde breaks through the trees, we'll have to focus fire there to give our ground forces a chance. Once they hit the walls, it will be up to our melee attackers to deal with them while the shooters focus on the nevermores." Ruby nodded to herself. "We've got distance as an advantage but once that's gone, we'll be in for a tough fight."

Weiss sighed, scrubbing at her temple again out of irritation. Poor odds were becoming a bit too common place for her liking. "Well. Let's get to it, then." She turned, raising Myrtenaster above her head. "Fangs! If you can shoot, get atop the wall and prepare to fire on the nevermores! The rest of you, arrange around the opening in the wall and prepare to charge!"

"Hunters, the same goes!" Blake stood beside her, Gambol Shroud also held aloft. "Wait for the command to fire!"

The assembled group burst into a flurry of movement, some using their Semblance or weapons to scale the side of the wall while others rushed to the stairs. Weiss conjured yet another propulsion glyph to send herself and her teammates into the air, each landing in a crouch atop the wall. Ruby took up a stable firing position, digging the blade of her scythe into the stone, while Yang stood beside her and held out her hand, doing her best to judge the considerable distance between herself and her targets. Weiss flicked the chambers of Myrtenaster over to something more appropriate while Gambol Shroud collapsed into a pistol, Blake switching magazines to ensure Dust cartridges remained.

Although there were clear divisions among them, the Hunters and Fangs arranged themselves along the wall and at the break, reloading weapons and sneaking glances at their supposed allies. If it wasn't for the officers and Blake's supporters among the Fangs, there might've been some serious complications.

Hopefully, the goodwill would hold out a while longer, until they could properly address the unmitigated and unprecedented mess this whole fiasco had evolved into.

* * *

On the bright side, the initial volley on the Nevermore worked exactly as planned and the aerial Grimm were substantially lessened by the time they actually reached the perimeter. Picking off the remainder was rather easy for the less mobile Hunters and Fangs.

Unfortunately, Ruby had underestimated the amount of Grimm stampeding towards them.

By a lot.

"Heads up!" The younger woman shouted, using Crescent Rose's next shot to catapult herself forward, a flurry of slashes ripping through the boartusks charging towards the breach in Beacon's defenses on the left flank. On the other side was Yang, firing off a round or two as she barreled into the right flank of the stampede, drawing some of the beasts' attention away from the wall.

Much like earlier, explosions and Dust edged blasts continuously tore through the small field between the forest's edge and the perimeter, the death cries of boartusks, beowolves, and creeps punctuating the air. The air was thick with Dust and smoke from the dissolving bodies, limiting visibility.

"How did we manage to attract the attention of every Grimm on the continent?" Weiss grumbled to herself, irritation and desperation mixing to keep her standing as she slipped beneath a beowolf's swipe, stabbing Myrtenaster into its chest and pulling the trigger before moving to defend herself from the boartusk charging at her, a shield catching it just long enough for her to side step and plunge her blade into the soft spot by its ear. "Is there no better place for these blasted things to be?"

"They did cancel their hair appointments to be here, Weiss." Blake offhandedly remarked, a slight curve to her lips as she flicked her wrist, Gambol Shroud firing another Dust infused shot that blasted apart two creeps while she sunk the sheath into a death stalker's skull. "We should be grateful they took the time out of their busy day to visit."

"I don't have time for your _sass_ , Blake," she replied, jerking aside as one head of a king taijitu lashed out, slashing the other off. "I'd much rather _not_ be wading through a Grimm stampede, if it's all the same to you. There are much better uses for our time."

"You're right." An explosion resounded behind Weiss as she turned her gaze to the remaining king taijitu head, ready to send a blast of icicles into it when Gambol Shroud's katana pierced it's eyes, the Faunus holding the blade directing her attention to Weiss. "Speaking of which, once this is all settled, would you like to grab something to eat?"

As beowolves closed in on them, Weiss rolled her eyes, pointing up and jumping with Blake, catching both of them on a glyph above the beasts. "We're in the middle of a battle and you deem _now_ to be an appropriate time to ask me on a date?" She puffed out a laugh, trying to ignore the weariness weighing on her body. "You're a hopeless romantic with horrible timing."

"Fair point." Blake grinned. "But _you_ were the one to say you loved me in front of the entire Regiment _and_ the Fangs, Princess."

She opened her mouth to counter and... well, she did do that, now didn't she? "Okay, fine, and I'd love to, now can we please return our attention to this blasted Grimm infestation?"

"Well, if you insist."

Weiss broke the glyph, allowing both of them to fall upon the beowolves snapping beneath them, Myrtenaster and Gambol Shroud flashing dangerously between killing cuts that bit into the dark flesh of the Grimm.

* * *

Yang grit her teeth, sweat dripping from her brow as she threw punch after punch, beating back the ursas threatening to charge towards the perimeter. While the beowolves, boartusks, and creeps were practically canon fodder making up the bulk of the Grimm herd, the ursas on the edges could do some real damage if they got too close, which made them the blonde's default target.

But even her considerable strength was suffering after beating down at least thirty of the blasted things, not to mention the entire battle beforehand.

Her attention was too far divided; trying to keep tabs on Ruby, Weiss, and Blake while moving from ursa to ursa left an opening too large for even the dimwitted creatures to miss, one powerful claw already mid swipe by the time Yang noticed the incoming blow.

Much to her relief, the offending claw was severed at the wrist joint before it could make impact, dissolving into nothingness as the ursa howled in pain. Before it could wind up for another swipe, one of the Lieutenants jumped in close, swinging her leg in a vicious roundhouse kick, bladed heels severing the ursa's throat and sending it, already leaking smoke, to the ground.

Yang threw another punch before hopping back a few steps, trying to catch her breath while the twins stepped into the spot she left open. Popping the expended shells from Ember Celica, the blonde pulled her last belt for each free, fitting them hastily into position before charging forward again, blasting apart an ursa's head.

"Hey, you two got names?"

One twin swiped with claws, drawing away the attention of an ursa while her sister swooped in with a high kick.

"Melanie."

"Militia."

"Cool." Yang jumped up, timing her swing so it was aided by the momentum of her fall before blasting a hole through yet another ursa's head. "I'm still not okay with you two hurting Ruby, by the way."

There was a brief pause in the twins' attacks as they looked at each other, communicating without words before regarding Yang.

"We'll make it up to both of you."

"Later."

The blonde nodded, stepping up between them. "That's all I ask."

The flurry of claws, heels, and fists continued, Grimm falling en masse beneath the constant attack, aided occasionally by Fangs or other Hunters. It was a taxing endeavor but the moment the flank was cleared, everyone stopped a moment to catch their breaths before charging back towards the center of the stampede.

* * *

Ruby grunted, digging the blade of her scythe into the soft dirt long enough to send four shots into the encroaching tide of Grimm. Her arms were weak from swinging the weapon repeatedly, but she hoisted it up regardless as the survivors of her volley charged forward.

Before any reached her, rockets soared over her head, catching more Grimm in the chest and head as they exploded. Still the Grimm charged, and when Ruby surged forward to meet them, there were others with her, Humans on her left while Faunus ran on her right.

Quickly taking stock of the weapons they held, Ruby shouted above the din. "Fangs, stay back! Hunters, forward!"

To her moderate surprise, the Faunus actually stopped, though whether it was out of adherence to her order or confusion, she couldn't be sure. Either way, the Hunters engaged the Grimm first, blades dancing as they sliced their way through the first wave, slowing the subsequent Grimm in their charge.

"Hunters, fall back! Fangs, push forward!" Ruby shoved Crescent Rose into a death stalker's head, hopping up onto the blade and puling the trigger to send her airborne as the Faunus surged past the retreating Humans, decimating the wounded Grimm and inflicting fresh wounds upon the next line. "Fangs, back! Hunters, forward!"

So it continued, each fire line getting a moment to rest and reload before plunging forward again, until the last of the Grimm were within sight.

"Everyone, back and aim!" Ruby disappeared in a flutter of petals, unseen to the naked eye until she was standing at the center of the jagged firing line. "Ready! Fire!"

Bursts of Dust infused shots rang out, a veritable rainbow of colors erupting along the flank as the last of the Grimm were put down, leaving only the stragglers in the center.

Heaving a breath, Ruby turned, Crescent Rose on her shoulder, and started for the remnants of the stampede, Fangs and Hunters following her as they roared their respective battle cries. Their combined voices grew louder as they caught sight of Blake and Weiss in the middle of the remaining Grimm, once again fighting back-to-back as ursas, beowolves, and death stalkers circled them.

* * *

Blake snarled, drawing upon what felt like the very last dregs of her strength as she swung Gambol Shroud, barely able to do more than glancing blows to the creatures surrounding them. Expending as much energy as she did fighting Ironwood was costing her dearly in this moment, though she found it difficult to regret her decisions in the previous fight.

It was only by virtue of her superb hearing that she caught the creep charging at her side, twisting around with the sheath in her hand in a hope to at least block the creature's attack. Instead, a very familiar blade pierced the side of its skull, Adam glancing at her briefly before pulling his sword free.

In the brief pause that followed, she tried to read into the tightening of his mouth at the corners before his expression twisted into a sneer, ducking away from a column of ice Weiss shot over their shoulders. He seemed ready to tear her throat out until he noticed the ice had frozen a king taijitu's jaw open, the block of ice merely bumping his shoulder instead of fangs piercing it.

A toss of Gambol dispatched the frozen head while Adam sliced off its twin, no words exchanged between them as he continued fighting through the Grimm while Blake remained at Weiss' side.

"I get the distinct impression he doesn't like me," the white haired woman said as lightly as she could manage, her voice forced through labored breaths.

"I'm beginning to wonder if he likes anyone," she replied, returning her attention to the Grimm and shoving whatever the bull horned Faunus might think away for the time being.

There would be time to deal with it later.

Hopefully.

* * *

Cheers went up as some of the larger, older Grimm turned tail and ran, adhering to their self-preservation instincts now that their numbers had failed them. As the last of the beasts disappeared into the forest or were slain, the assembled Hunters and Faunus celebrated themselves while grudgingly admiring the other side's fighting, offering terse words of approval.

For her part, Blake was just glad it was over. She could see the tremor wracking Weiss' body, legs shaking and her left arm hung limply at her side, Myrtenaster's weight just too much for her to bear much longer, tip resting in the dirt. The Faunus felt similarly, her energy depleted from the battle before and since, shoulders drooping as Gambol Shroud seemed to grow heavier in her hands.

"Yeah! That was awesome!" Ruby pumped her fists in the air, Crescent Rose leaning against one shoulder. Despite her smile, it was easy to see the fight had worn on her just as hard, silver eyes lacking their usual shine.

"Yup, can't wait to do _that_ again." Yang laughed.

Weiss, on the very other hand, obviously had neither the energy nor the inclination to parse whether or not she was being sarcastic. "Can we just not?"

She wanted to smile and celebrate, to return to their cramped, shared quarters and pretend the past few days hadn't happened- for the most part. There were certain topics she'd like to... revisit, of course, but if things went back to the way they were before, largely, she wouldn't complain.

She was too perceptive for her own good, however, and she had half a mind to just collapse to the ground to avoid the truth. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news... but it's not over."

Weiss looked over at Blake, a sharp retort ready to fly before recognition dawned in her blue eyes.

The blonde was the one to voice what they were all thinking. "Oh come _on_!"

Finally, the force behind the stampede broke through the trees, goliaths trampling anything underfoot as they marched forward. While they'd probably driven the smaller, more mobile Grimm before them like towering herders of death, the goliaths themselves moved with a plodding, methodical pace, a sea of black rolling towards them across the decimated field.

Ruby whistled lowly.

Blake sighed, ears twitching in annoyance as she scowled. "I told you."

Switching Myrtenaster's chamber with a flick of her wrist, Weiss assumed a trembling, lazy version of her usual stance, obviously pouring everything into lifting her weapon once more. "Oh, shut up, Blake."

Lacking its usual bite, Blake could only smile tiredly, readying Gambol Shroud as the remainder of their fellow defenders prepared for one last round. White energy bled from Weiss' weapon, from hilt to tip, as a glyph appeared at an angle behind her. Although unfamiliar with the Dust attack itself, Blake was more than aware of the function of Weiss' glyphs.

"Weiss-" Blake felt alarm rising within her a moment too late as the white haired woman jumped up, propelled by her glyph towards the goliaths.

Conscious thought was a luxury she could ill afford, giving herself over to the beast once more as she raced after Weiss, body burning from the sudden exertion. The pain and fatigue were mere afterthoughts, shoved aside by sheer force of will and desperation. She jumped, pulling the trigger on Gambol as she summoned shadow clones and jumped from one to the next, each push off sending the explosive doppelgangers careening into the Grimm line around the same time several other attacks fired off, all eclipsed by the blinding white light radiating from Myrtenaster as Weiss struck her blow.

The goliaths on the front line groaned and fell, shaking the earth briefly before dissolving, but her keen vision was trained on Weiss' bleary form, crashing through leaves and branches as she sailed past the goliaths she'd slain.

Dodging around the dissolving bodies of downed Grimm, and one very live one, Blake rushed to where she'd seen Weiss fall, panic rising in her chest when her mate didn't stumble out of the thicket on her own power.

"Weiss!" Her voice was a roar, throat raw and dry from breathing heavily and her earlier scream.

Bone shattering blows and ear piercing booms resounded all around her as she ran but there was no room to spare in her head to acknowledge them. After _all_ of this bloodshed and loss, fighting and fleeing, making it against ridiculous odds, she was _not_ going to lose Weiss at the end of the battle, at the brink of victory. Bursting through the brush, Blake felt her heart stutter to a stop as she finally made it to Weiss, formerly white hair streaked with dirt, sweat, and blood.

Dropping to her knees, Blake scooped the woman's limp form into her arms and forced herself to keep moving, to not give up hope. She could still feel Weiss' aura shimmering, weakened though it was, and she was not about to waste time bemoaning her loss when there was still a chance to save her. Using her left to support Weiss' slim weight, Blake growled, turning back towards where their comrades were. Colonel Goodwitch was something of a medic, some tiny part of her rational mind offered, and suddenly the Colonel was her target, the saving grace Weiss needed.

Just as she was pushing back through the brush, stumbling through debris, a goliath's massive five toed foot came crashing through the trees. It seemed to notice the two weakened Huntresses, gauging them to be an easy target, and reared up on its hind legs with every intention of smashing them both under foot.

Gritting her teeth, Blake fell to her back, Weiss beside her as she lifted Gambol Shroud and fired, pushing off the explosive clone produced and sending it towards the Grimm towering over her. She instantly rolled onto Weiss, trying to shield her from the blast as it tore into the goliath's chest, the beast letting loose a roar of pain. It wasn't enough; she'd finally reached the limits of her Semblance, the clone only doing damage that made the Grimm even further enraged as it began to bear down on them.

Like the answer to a prayer she didn't have the strength to utter, an all-too-familiar cry of unrelenting, white hot rage echoed over the forest, a wave of heat rolling over Blake as Yang's fully fire engulfed form slammed into the goliath's side, sending the towering Grimm crumpling. Leaves were singed in the wake of her passing and Blake nearly suffocated as searing heat lanced through her throat, barely registering hands grabbing and dragging her across the broken battlefield while she held onto Weiss with everything she had left.

Blearily, she opened her eyes, unfocused gaze landing on an even further exhausted Ruby.

"What... why did..." She could feel her consciousness ebbing with the return to a more natural temperature, though Yang's voice still filled the air.

A tall Huntsman with a blob of black around his jaw, stepped into her view, blood trickling from his mouth as he held up a few strands of blonde hair.

"Well, drastic times..." She suddenly recognized Junior's voice, having only met the man once after Yang's little 'disagreement' with him. "Mean desperate measures."

"She'll be fine." Ruby waved it off, the gestures lazy and unfocused, dropping down beside them on her knees. "You two just rest." She puffed out a breath that held the faintest traces of a laugh, shoulders slumping. "I think it's-" Her eyes widened, clumsily launching herself to her feet once more. "Yang!"

Blake tilted her head, trying to see where her friend was, but her vision was too blurry. Even Ruby's rose petals blended into the blobs of color all around as the young woman streaked into the remaining goliaths. There were still so many and it looked for all the world like only Ruby and Yang were concerned with their numbers, the remainder of the Hunters and Fangs elsewhere, waging a battle she couldn't see if the tempo of gunfire and ringing of crossing blades was any indication.

Unable to do much else, the Faunus strained her hearing for Weiss' soft, ragged breathing, her hand searching for the thready rhythm of the woman's beating heart, and tightening her weakening hold on the moment she felt it.

For better or worse, their part in the fight was over.

Her eyes rolled into the back of her head, unable to sustain consciousness for one more moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Way to go down swinging. Next chapter will be the end. Thanks for making it this far.


	9. New World Order

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Nothing's changed; I own nothing. And now, we wrap this story up.

In the past few days, waking up tended to bring mostly bad news. First, they were captured by the White Fang and branded traitors by Beacon, but they were alive. Then they were on the run from both factions, but they were together. _Then_ they were facing a hearing to determine if they'd be allowed to live, but... well, there really wasn't a bright side that time.

So when Weiss felt her consciousness returning to her, the last thing she wanted to do was embrace it, an irrational fear that this would be the time she would wake up and find herself bereft of something that actually _mattered_ to her absolutely crippling, much more than the pain in her limbs and pounding in her head. There were voices, hushed and soft, and the shuffling of people and things around the room, which meant it would be only a matter of time before someone tried to wake her up if she didn't reveal it herself. Besides, she wanted answers, especially about the three people she cared about most. She pushed aside her apprehension, opening her eyes and squinting against the harsh light of Beacon's infirmary, picking out random sounds and stringing them together until she could understand the words.

"Ah, splendid!" Captain Port chortled, pulling her attention to the right side of her bed. "The fearsome Alpha has awakened and it only took a day!"

"Weiss is up?" And there was Ruby, sounding just as energetic as ever. "Yay!"

Struggling to sit up, Weiss blinked until she could see straight, looking around at everyone. Ruby and Yang were in the beds across from her, her team leader fidgeting uncontrollably and looking like she'd ran six miles through thorn bushes while Yang's head bobbed occasionally, eyes drooping as she stifled a yawn. They both look relatively okay, aside from the dried blood, dirt, and grime still covering them, all frazzled hair and weary smiles. About half of the command team was arranged around them, though none dared stand between the beds, allowing Weiss' gaze to be unobstructed as she swept over each of her dearest friends in turn. To her left, Blake was sitting in a bed of her own, clothes nearly torn to shreds, the contrast of dried blood and the like highlighting a few fresh pink scars that hadn't quite healed yet, layered over the ones only a few days old. It wasn't until the Faunus smiled, a little tension flowing out of her stiff posture, that Weiss noticed herself doing the same.

"How are you feeling?" Her voice was just as calm and soft as ever, if a bit scratchy, though the tilt of the ears atop her head hinted that Blake was highly invested in hearing her answer.

She gave a slightly bigger smile. "Tired and sore, but much better now. You?"

"Same." Amber eyes shined with tears that were hurriedly blinked away, relief suffusing Blake's entire being.

"I stand by my initial assessment." Weiss turned her head, noting Colonel Ozpin nonchalantly resting against his cane beside Ruby's bed. "You're all a bit crazy."

"It takes a crazy heart to dream of peace in a time of war, Ozpin. Weren't those your words, once?" Colonel Goodwitch stepped up, her riding crop tapping against her open palm as she surveyed the recovering forms of Team RWBY. "Although I do hope collateral damage to our facilities will decrease now that General Belladonna is no longer in danger of execution."

Blake's ears twitched and her eyes darted away as a light blush rose in her cheeks, obviously unaccustomed and slightly reluctant to take the title.

"Hey, as long as no one tries to mess with us, we aren't going to mess with them." Yang grinned, throwing a lazy swipe at an invisible opponent and covering her wince with impressive bravado. "Someone wants to start something, though, we'll finish it!"

"I'm afraid you're all bark and no bite at the moment, Xaio Long." Port laughed, brushing at his mustache. "Though I'm sure no one outside of this room needs to know that."

"For all our sakes, I think that'd be best." Weiss blinked in surprise as Ehinerin brushed past the officers to stand beside her bed, though he positioned himself on the right side, like Port. "Although, there is the matter of where we go from here that should probably be discussed sooner rather than later."

"Talk about no rest for the weary." Yang grumbled while Ruby tapped a finger against her chin.

"I _think_ it's 'no rest for the wicked', actually."

"There's a difference?"

Weiss massaged her temple, suddenly reminded of the dull throbbing in her skull while Blake shushed their teammates. In the new silence, she tried to parse the situation, evaluate things from a strictly objective stance. To some extent, it made sense to keep the Faunus and Human societies separate, just to reduce friction. The newly founded alliance could be tested, slowly be accepted by the populace at large, and then integration would theoretically flow smoother. However, that left the Faunus and their Fangs outside the walls that protected Humans for so long, that allowed them to flourish. Would there be enough to sustain their population if they took the slower route to peace? Speaking of which, could Humans and Faunus reproduce together? What would be the result?

She was getting off track, and making guesses with incomplete data. Refocusing her mind, Weiss turned her attention to the tusked Faunus beside her.

"How many Fangs remain?"

Ehinerin sighed, shaking his head. "About two thirds of our initial force, plus the civilians who came with us, and there's still those back at the den to account for. We lost few in the initial skirmish- thanks in no small part to your friends' less-than-lethal means of subduing our fighters- but many left with Adam."

"Adam left?" Her gaze swung to Blake, noting the disappointment in those amber eyes.

"I'm afraid so." Ehinerin sighed. "Many things he could accept under Smalt's rule but it blinded him to what he was turning into. I fear he will never accept Humans as allies to Faunus."

"Blake-" Weiss, Ruby, and Yang spoke simultaneously, each struggling to various degrees of success to untangle themselves and offer their support.

But the Faunus just shook her head and offered them a small smile. "I made my decision; he made his. That's all there is to it."

"That means there's still a contingent of White Fang out there." Ozpin sighed. "I'd hoped your people had better sense than ours. No offense."

"How many Hunters left?" Blake moved on, burying the myriad of emotions that still plagued her to focus on the task at hand, as she so often did. Weiss made a mental note to bring it up later, in private, to soothe the pain she could see lurking behind amber eyes.

"Three full companies, plus stragglers." Colonel Goodwitch frowned. "Captain Torchwick's Jumpers, Major Fall's Infiltrators, and those individuals who couldn't accept the Faunus as equals. They initially tried to lead a coup against us after the Grimm were mostly cleared up, but we managed to dissuade them... with some help from our Faunus allies."

"Hey, don't sound so reluctant about it." Yang griped, wagging a finger at the Colonel. "The Fangs did just as much as the Hunters to save this place..." she winced "-after, ya know, breaking into it, which really wasn't _their_ fault."

"Yang's right." Blake shifted, wincing slightly as she did so, and Weiss echoed her expression a moment later when she tried to move closer, silently cursing her limited movement. "The Faunus of Vale have tried to keep a policy of no contact with the Humans; it's Smalt's doing that we've fought them so hard in recent years."

She furrowed her brows, noticing the slight shift evident on the faces of the command team. "You all seem surprised by that."

"Well..." Port coughed into his hand. "While we never, er, doubted General Belladonna's claims to her innocence, we were quite certain she would... better identify with her people rather than us Humans."

The Faunus in question rolled her eyes but kept the explanation to herself, crossing her arms over her chest.

"You know, I've been wondering, how did you guys even find out about Blake?" Ruby tapped her fingers together, brow furrowed in concentration. "I mean, we _lived with her_ and didn't suspect anything, so how did anyone else figure it out?"

Silence fell over the room as each of the officers became intently interested in the tile on the floor or ceiling. Finally, Colonel Ozpin spoke, his tone grave.

"The evidence presented to Ironwood came directly from Fall's intelligence network. We had no reason to question how her Infiltrators came by it until after the initial White Fang attack; the coinciding events just seemed too suspicious, especially when the enemy retreated for no apparent reason, though Ironwood was less inclined to listen to reason on that front." He flashed them a self depreciating smirk. "He was concerned looking too far into it might paint your actions in an 'unduly noble light'."

"I ordered them to retreat," Blake said, squaring her shoulders as best she could. "Smalt preserved my place among the Fangs even after I left. The moment I was free, I ordered a retreat to stop the fighting."

"What she says is true. Smalt never revealed his source but he presented the plan to assault this complex a few months ago with three clear objectives: recover Blake, take as much Dust as our Fangs could carry, and cause as much of a ruckus as possible before retreating." Ehinerin shook his head wearily. "He was livid upon realizing Blake had ordered a premature retreat and successfully thwarted the other two objectives in the process."

Ozpin sighed, massaging his temple. "Looking back now, I can see what they were trying to do." He scanned the human members of team RWBY. "Without the distraction the three of you provided by breaching the detention level, the officers would've first gone to the armory. In the chaos of the battle, any number of deaths could've been ascribed to the enemy, and once the Faunus retreated with loads of Dust in tow, any formal inquiry into the events would've been sensibly postponed until after the threat was mitigated."

"With one fell swoop, the highest ranks of the Regiment would've been removed and no one would've batted an eye at pinning those deaths on the White Fang." Colonel Goodwitch's lips curled into a grimace. "This reeks of Fall's subversive tactics."

He nodded gravely. "They were entirely too ready to spring their coup attempt to imagine otherwise. Fall likely arranged for this temporary alliance, using Blake as leverage, and Torchwick jumped on the opportunity to ride her coattails."

"So, this entire ordeal was a mad power grab trap we all walked straight into?" Yang settled back into her bed. "That kinda sucks."

Port laughed, entirely too loudly given the small room. "You're joking, aren't you? If it wasn't for you four, the Beacon Regiment would be destroyed, conquered by either the traitors or the Faunus. Erm, no offense."

"I feel like that phrase will be rather commonplace for a while." Ehinerin gave a weary smile, stroking one of his tusks thoughtfully.

"Either way, I believe Captain Port is correct in his deduction," Colonel Goodwitch said. "Although I'm not one to rule out other options, I'm hard pressed to imagine a set of circumstances that would've led to the White Fang and the Hunter Corps working side-by-side to successfully repel a threat."

"Then we should capitalize on it." Weiss squared her shoulders, looking towards the tusked Faunus. "Tell me; would the Fangs consider integrating with the Hunters to form a standing army with the primary objective to defend Vale citizens from Grimm incursions and terrorist threats? Although I'm sure the Fangs are capable as a stand alone force, I feel integrating them into a focused element alongside Humans would go a long way to establishing equality for the civilians as well." Her brows furrowed slightly. "The Hunters have always been the examples by which the rest of our society bases itself- heroes we emulate. If we can start building a positive environment here, it _will_ spread, I'm sure of it."

"There's been talk, though there are just as many good things to say about the idea as bad." Ehinerin shrugged. "There are many Fangs who remember Miss Blake fondly, and many others were suitably impressed with the teamwork the Hum- Hunters displayed during the Grimm attack to stay and see what will happen now. They're open to the idea, but understandably wary. How well it will work in the long run is anyone's guess."

Weiss nodded, accepting the vague answer for what it was. Until they either made the decision or implemented something solid, there would be only so much they could be certain about.

"Officers, what about us?" Blake turned her attention to those assembled, ears swiveling. "Can the Hunters accept the Fangs into their ranks?"

"Some more easily than others." Colonel Ozpin stroked his chin. "You four weren't the only ones engaging your opponents in kinder terms. In some cases, there's full teams that have interacted well with the, ah, Fangs- the Lieutenants are currently keeping an eye on those who don't- but breaking up the full teams wouldn't do well in any situation. However, there are a few teams that are... notably short. We could also institute a new policy that sends out full squads instead of single teams, balancing Fangs and Hunters as best we can on each mission. In time, it could reduce friction."

Blake pursed her lips into a thin line. "That's not good enough. We can't contemplate integration while still drawing the distinction between Fangs and Hunters." Her ears flattened, amber eyes searching as she thought. "While I agree we should balance teams between the... races... we'll need to determine a more uniform manner of rank and file. Otherwise, we'll doom ourselves before we start."

The officers looked at each other, slightly surprised but accepting the point.

"This is hard." Yang groaned. "Can't we just shove everyone in a room and tell them to play nice? Spray them in the face with a squirt bottle if they don't?"

"... is that an option?" Ruby twiddled her thumbs. "It _does_ seem easier."

Under normal circumstances, Weiss might've scolded her teammates for their commentary, reminding them that this was a serious situation that required their utmost attention and useless, joking suggestions were the furthest thing from helpful she could imagine.

But given the enormity of what they were facing and what they'd already overcome, she couldn't help but laugh, her teammates joining in shortly, all of them ignoring the aches and pains the action brought.

Because, really, this was a lot to take in all at once. Her vision of the outcome of the whole fiasco had changed several times, with each obstacle rising in the path, but none of them included negotiating a truce between two long standing enemies, much less integrating the two together into a peaceful society. Now, here she sat, in a bed resting from the hardest battle of her life with the promise of more battles ahead of her, not all of which would be fought with Myrtenaster at her side. She laughed even harder when she realized, in a twisted way, that she'd truly become her father's daughter, except in the opposite respect.

Where he stood between Humans and Faunus as a barrier, his hatred driving a deeper wedge between the races, she would stand to bring them together.

Gaining control over herself, she looked to Blake, the Faunus watching her with a soft, barely confused expression, fondness radiating from her amber eyes. Ruby and Yang were watching her too, a tired, lopsided smile on the blonde's face while her sister seemed just as optimistic about the future as she always did, refusing to let the weight bear down on her.

Leaning back into the minimal comfort of the infirmary bed, Weiss sighed, fighting to stay conscious. What little energy she'd managed to recover was already running out. "It would help immensely if there was some sort of precedence for this."

"There is."

She blinked, trying to determine if her fatigue was responsible for hearing that sentence from both Colonel Goodwitch and Ehinerin or if they had actually spoken in unison. Given the surprise evident on both their faces, she opted with the latter being most probable.

Which was weird.

"It was... something I came across while searching Ironwood's office." Colonel Goodwitch hesitated before striding over to a counter at the far end of the room, picking up a book that looked far older than most of the ones in Beacon's minimal library. "I can't imagine it being anything other than genuine and the log that accompanied it indicates it's been passed down from General to General, predating our... current historical records."

Handing the battered book to Blake, the Colonel stepped back and allowed her to thumb through it, amber eyes flicking over the pages too rapidly to be reading every word but lingering long enough to at least be picking up something from the text. Clearing his throat, Ehinerin spoke softly, directing his words at Weiss.

"We have a similar copy. Perhaps even the same... I can send someone back to retrieve it for you, Miss Weiss."

"That would be best, at the very least to compare notes if there's a significant discrepancy between the histories."

Blake's eyebrow rose. "I think I can tell where they might diverge." Flipping the book around carefully, she held it open to a blank page towards the end, where 'BETRAYAL' was scrawled in angry strokes, underlined three times. Turning it back around, she flipped the page. "It then goes on to establishing the Beacon Hunters as a pure Human force; most of this language is the same as _Humanity: Fighting for Peace_ , if I'm not mistaken."

"There's a similar notation in our copy as well, before detailing the establishment of the Alphas and Fangs as our dominating hierarchy." Ehinerin nodded to himself, making for the door. "I'll send someone to retrieve it and begin testing the waters for integration."

"At the very least, we'll need to move our civilians to a more secure location." Weiss noted, glancing at Blake. "Although I don't know Adam very well, I'd like to mitigate the chance of anyone not accounted for exploiting our weakened defenses at the... um... base?"

"Den, but close enough." The tusked Faunus bowed his head. "As you wish, Miss Weiss."

Colonel Ozpin tapped his cane against the floor. "I suggest we begin our preparations as well, with the General's blessing, of course." Blake nodded. "Wonderful. Colonel Goodwitch or I will be by to brief you later. For now, I recommend all of you continue resting."

That was music to her ears, eyes fluttering closed almost before the officers were finished filing out of the room. Although Ruby was still fidgeting in her bed, Yang seemed exhausted enough to not even voice a complaint at being effectively restricted to bed rest. Then again, seeing as things were a bit different now, maybe the Colonel's suggestion was just that and they were free to leave whenever they felt like it. It certainly seemed Blake wasn't keen on resting; Weiss could hear her closing the thick book and shuffling out of the bed, though her nearly imperceptible footsteps drew closer instead of further away. Forcing her eyes open, she was treated to the sight of the Faunus standing shakily at her bedside, amber eyes filled with concern and hands held up in surrender.

"Weiss, I-"

"Shut up, Blake, and get down here." She carefully moved over and shifted on her side, reluctantly thanking her small stature for allowing her enough room to coax the Faunus down beside her on the infirmary bed. Blake was more than willing to accommodate and Weiss found that her chest was much more comfortable to nuzzle into than the pillow she'd formerly rested on, wrapping an arm around the Faunus' waist to ensure neither of them would be going anywhere anytime soon. An arm wrapped around her shoulders, holding her close, and maybe this was an idea to revisit at a later point, after that supposed date that would no doubt be postponed a while longer.

But that could wait for when they weren't exhausted, battered, and bruised. Right now, just resting beside Blake was enough to wash away the troubles that awaited them.

"You're still wearing my ribbon," Blake said softly, fingers brushing through her hair gently.

"Of course." She cracked one eye open. "You aren't expecting it back, are you?"

Lips brushed softly against her forehead. "No."

"Good." Weiss smiled. It didn't matter that they both smelled absolutely _awful_ , that she could feel each and every muscle protesting at the concept of remaining awake, or that she already felt sore and restless from laying in bed for a full day unconscious. Ruby and Yang were bruised and battered, but okay. Blake was alive and in her arms. They'd _succeeded_ and had a chance to make something _better_ of the world. A chance to make sure no one ever went through any of this again.

She nuzzled further into Blake's embrace, contemplating tilting her head and, maybe, seeing if it was possible to coax a kiss out of the Faunus. That would be a suitable reward after a long, arduous mission, right? Not too much to ask? Given the way Blake was shifting, the thought had likely occurred to her as well, so all she had to do was-

"Just because I feel like it _needs_ to be said..." Yang drawled, propping herself up enough to shoot them a cheeky grin. "No sex in the sick bay. It's not for _that_ kind of healing."

Thankfully, Blake didn't protest when Weiss tossed the pillow blindly across the room, managing to smack the blonde in the face while her sister merely chuckled.

* * *

Days had passed and the Beacon Regiment was beginning to stand up again, recovering from the wounds inflicted though the scars would linger. The perimeter wall was still being repaired- reinforced to prevent further breaches- and the parade field was an absolute mess. Seeing as Blake wasn't much for pomp and circumstance, she'd suggested the plain be converted into another training field for force-on-force exercises, which the officers approved readily. Apparently, Captain Port and the Lieutenants Malachite disliked the formal parades and such as much as she did, and the Colonels weren't really of a mind to complain about the change.

Amber eyes scanned the area in the early morning light, picking out the forms of newly minted Hunters going through the paces alongside their new teammates. After reading through the book Colonel Goodwitch had given her and comparing it against the one Ehinerin brought Weiss, they determined that the Hunters Corps evolved from a mostly Faunus fighting force that protected the Humans from Grimm before whatever schism caused the races to part ways hundreds of years ago. Whatever bad blood was drawn so long ago was never recorded aside from the claim of betrayal and none of them were keen on uncovering the mystery at present. Instead, they worked to integrate the forces together under the Hunter Corps banner, though the iconography used for the Jumpers and Infiltrators would be retired permanently- with a detailed description of the incident quickly becoming known as the Allied Revolution. Instead, their airborne Hunters would be renamed 'Talons' while their stealth groups would be the Fangs. It would be a while yet before the first company of either group would be mission ready but it was a foundation.

One she and Weiss were building, with Yang's and Ruby's constant help and support.

Leaning against the balcony railing of the General's- _her_ study, Blake allowed herself a moment to acknowledge how severely out of her depth she was treading. Weiss was the one with the education and training to lead people and make decisions that could make or break the very world around them, not her. Smalt tried to force that responsibility on her and she'd refused; accepting it now would feel like something of a step backwards, if it wasn't for her love's unending support and assistance.

Her lips curled into a soft smile, cat ears perking as she thought of the white haired woman.

Weiss was taking to the Faunus like she took to everything: with all the force and conviction of a woman on a mission that would never be deterred and too stubborn to quit. Those still wary of having a member of the Schnee family as their leader were forced to acknowledge that having Weiss as their ally was orders of magnitude better than having her as an enemy and the ones who trusted Blake's judgment enough to trust Weiss by proxy were pleasantly surprised to see how very little could intimidate her. Any time things seemed to be on the verge of boiling over into violence between stubborn elements from either side, all it took was a sharp look from those cold blue eyes and the unspoken threat of pulling Myrtenaster free to quiet things. That was usually Blake's cue to step in and mediate, seeking the source of the problem and resolving it as best they could.

Some things likely would take generations to overcome... but their start down this road wasn't as rocky as it could've been.

A knock on the study door brought her contemplation to an end.

"Come in." She called, striding back to the oversized desk that seemed to only grow more hectic when Weiss wasn't there to help sort everything out. Usually, they used the expansive surface to work side-by-side, coordinating resources and supplies between the dissolving factions, integrating the Faunus civilians into positions around the headquarters or in the nearby village, which was warily accepting of Beacon's radical shift with surprising grace. There were dissenters, of course, but they were wisely not causing too much trouble. Yet.

The door opened to admit Captain Port, carrying a bundle of cloth beneath one arm. "Good morning, General! At it already, I see."

Blake nodded, picking up her scroll and reading over the latest force realignment report from Colonel Goodwitch, paying specific attention to the balance between Faunus and Humans.

"And where might our esteemed Alpha be?" He tilted his head slightly, though the smile he gave her in response to her glare indicated he was going to drop that particular line of questioning. Although it had retreated to the edges of her conscious mind, the beastial part of her that she'd summoned wasn't exactly keen on slinking back into the shadows. It was as much a part of her now as Gambol Shroud, a weapon ready to be used in defense of those she held dear, although a bit more... proactive in that regard when it came to Weiss. "Right, then, moving on, I was wondering if you'd be interested in reviewing the new company guidon design."

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, Blake set her scroll down, feigning interest as best she could. These silly inanities would be the purely ironic death of her. "I suppose."

"Splendid!" He took the cloth from under his arm and shook it out.

Her jaw dropped open the slightest bit, gaze roving over the symbol of Port's company. Previously, it was a shadow of Port's bladed blunderbuss superseded by Beacon's emblem in the center; now, the Beacon emblem itself sat on one blade while a white wolf's head mirrored its position on the other, the Human symbol to mark the White Fang.

"As the first company to be privileged with a Faunus Hunter among our ranks, I feel a bit entitled to show it off, as it were." He explained, bristling in pride at the emblem that would soon adorn his Hunters' quarters. "Pending your approval, of course."

Blake blinked. "Of course, Captain. It's a very... progressive design."

"Now is the time to take forward strides, General," he replied, rolling the cloth up and tucking it beneath his arm. "Speaking of strides forward, there's the matter of reconstituting the command team that's yet to be addressed."

"Pushing for a promotion?" She raised a brow, earning a boisterous laugh from the man.

"Not what I was driving at, though I supposed I wouldn't object!" He nodded towards the open balcony, where the first sounds of training were beginning to drift up, practice shots punctuating a slowly rising murmur of voices. "Just an overall concern for order given the chaotic times ahead. There are a few Faunus I've interacted with who would take to the officer ranks like fish to water. I can send you the list, if you'd like."

"Do that. I'll take it under advisement but it'll be Weiss' decision, ultimately." She turned, going back to the railing and leaning out, spotting Yang sparing with Radia far below using practice rounds and minimal force against one another. Around them, Faunus and Humans gathered, watching the fight and calling out who would fight who next. "Will there be anything else?"

"Not presently, Ma'am." She flicked an ear back, listening to him step towards the door though he paused before leaving. "I would like to admit that you're bearing the burden of leadership better than I expected."

"I have a lot of help." Keen eyes picked out Ruby, lightly jogging from one of the further buildings towards her sister, no doubt carrying more paperwork for Blake and Weiss to pour over, waving to Humans and Faunus alike as she went about her business. Although they'd yet to come up with a suitable working title, Ruby was still considered her team leader, effectively placing her above Weiss _and_ Blake within the hierarchy, and they were both completely okay with that. It certainly helped that the youngest member of their team made few enemies just by the overbearing pep inherent in her nature. Not only was she well liked among the Humans but the Faunus were slowly finding her boundless optimism difficult to resist, thanks in no small part to their respect for her deadly precision with Crescent Rose. Ruby paused on the edge of Yang's fight long enough to shout something to her sister, which the blonde acknowledged with a wave of her hand that set Ruby off towards the main building.

Blake smiled, mulling over the idea of going down and joining Yang in her little exhibition match when the door opened again, this time without a warning knock of any sort. That alone would tell her who it was, had she not caught Weiss' distinctive gait crossing the study.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" Although she had objected fiercely before, the woman had insisted whatever she was working on required her immediate attention, spending the night somewhere in the old Jumper building where the Faunus civilians were being housed temporarily. The stack of scrolls in her hands was a testament to the body of work she'd completed in that time, as well as the barely noticeable circles under her eyes.

"I did, in fact, and I think I've actually made headway." Weiss set her stack down on the desk, Blake by her side instantly to spread them out across the surface. Truthfully, her attention was focused more on the woman beside her than the scrolls, checking to ensure the last of Weiss' wounds had healed and her aura recovered, but she was discreet about her concerns. "Whether or not it works remains to be seen."

Once the scrolls were laid out, Blake went to the coffee maker, pouring a cup for the woman and bringing it back, spoon and creamers in the other hand. "Do I get to know about this secret plan of yours?"

"There's nothing secret about it." Weiss waved her teasing off, accepting the offering with a smile and pressing a kiss to her cheek in thanks, scanning the Faunus briefly before continuing. "I've sent messengers to reach out to the Alphas of the other packs, requesting their presence for a leaders' summit. I spent last night collecting all the intelligence reports I can on them."

Blake raised a brow, impressed by the ambitious invitation and surprised to hear the strictly Faunus verbiage flowing so easily from the woman's lips. She also idly wondered how meeting the various Human military leaders would go, if they would even respond to such a missive. Beacon still held the most sway across Remnant when it came to Human policies but none of the officers were keen on releasing news of the change of command until their defenses were shored up, at least one Talon company was ready to go, and squads of Fangs were waiting in the wings.

When changing the world, it never hurt to be prepared for the worst.

Weiss took a steadying drought of her beverage and sighed in relief as it began to work its way through her system. "It's a daunting task, to be sure. Of all the Faunus in the world, I doubt any harbor as much hate for my family as those in Atlas and... I must admit it's not entirely one sided." Though Weiss' head bowed slightly and her shoulders tensed, Blake remained unfazed by the admission. She'd expected as much, honestly; nothing would be fixed overnight, especially not a lifetime of living in fear of a specific group. After a few more seconds without any negative reaction, Weiss relaxed slightly. "Keeping things peaceful during this impending meeting will be a trial and trying to imagine the very concept of security for such an event is... difficult."

Flattening her ears in disapproval, Blake moved to stand behind Weiss, looping her arms around the woman's waist and pressing a kiss to her hair. "As long as I'm there, you won't have to worry about security. I'll keep you safe."

"I'm sure you will but you might need to keep me in check as well." Weiss leaned back into her embrace, idly drinking her coffee while sweeping a hand to indicate the scrolls. "Anyway, it's going to be a tough crowd to please. While most Faunus maintain very limited contact with the Human nations, there are active wars being fought elsewhere. Negotiating peace is going to be a trial."

"What happens if we can't convince them?"

"We will." There was that confidence, that no-nonsense tone that promised retribution on whoever stood in her way. "Until the other nations get their act together, Vale will stand as a sanctuary to Human and Faunus alike and we'll defend that peace to the bitter end."

She hummed and nuzzled into the pale column of Weiss' neck, chuckling as she remembered that barely a week ago she was afraid this woman would sooner kill her than accept her. How things had changed. "I pity whoever tries to tell you otherwise."

" _I_ don't; they'll deserve whatever they get." The cup was set down on the table, Weiss turning so she could slide her arms around Blake's waist. "No one else is going to ever come close to taking you away again, Blake. I swear it."

"I know." She tightened her hold, lowering her voice slightly as her lips ghosted over Weiss' ear. "You're mine. To protect. To love."

"Blake..."

She pulled away and laid a hand on the woman's cheek, brushing a thumb just beneath the distinctive scar across her left eye and smiling. "Shut up, Weiss."

Blake leaned in, the beast still pacing in the back of her mind purring in glee as Weiss reciprocated, their lips meeting in a slow, sensual-

_Bang!_

"Hey guys, I got the- weh-he-hell, I think I should be going, actually, don't mind me, ahahaha!"

Blake looked up, trying valiantly not to lay her ears back in annoyance as she caught sight of Ruby, face the color of her cloak as the young woman tried to backpedal through the door she'd kicked open. An attempt which was foiled when she ran straight into an out-of-breath Yang, bringing them both to a sudden stop.

"Whoa, where's the fire, Ru- were you two being mushy?" The blonde leveled a stern stare their way, slowly raising a brow. "Do I have to have the 'young impressionable minds' talk again?"

Weiss huffed, throwing a glare over her shoulder. "Or you could have a 'knock before you enter a room' talk with _her_ and we'd avoid these sorts of situations!"

The Faunus chuckled, exchanging a reluctantly brief kiss before stepping away from the white haired woman, both of them turning their attention to their teammates and setting the scrolls aside for the time being to focus on what Ruby brought: a comprehensive list of issues requiring their immediate attention. The four poured over the list, offering their differing perspectives and working on finding solutions before presenting the findings to anyone else. No matter the proper method for dealing with things like these, the four of them were just as much a team as they were a week ago, except stronger, more assured of themselves and each other, working towards a goal they not only all agreed on but were truly willing to die for: peace. Not the definition in recent publication either, but _real_ peace, between Humans and Faunus, to reassert the dominance of sentient beings with souls over the wilds teeming with Grimm.

It was a long road ahead but they would _make_ it work.

And may whatever Gods exist have mercy on whoever tried to stand in their way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Okay, so, if you've made it this far, congratulations and thanks! Remember when I said it would be best to wait until the end before biting my head off? Here's why: I actually wrote this fic based off a dream I had about a show I never watched. No, seriously; although The Supreme One and Alexlayer helped me get some things straightened out (the Faunus are neither Grimm nor werewolves/werecats/were-whatevers; I am still surprised by this) I wrote the whole thing without ever watching the show proper. Characterizations were based on what I gleamed from the trailers and fanart posted by the two mentioned above (most of which being from tumblr user dashingicecream, which I guess is how I latched onto the Monochrome pairing, fuck if I know) while the plot points were based on the incredibly detailed dream involving these characters, left unchanged for the most part. *shrug* At the time of writing this, I had no idea that Blake 'coming out' as a Faunus was a thing in the show, Weiss' issues with the White Fang, or... well, really anything this fic actually has in common with the show. (Which, since I finished the fic and was able to watch the show, has led to many 'hey, I was pretty close! ... oh, FFS!' moments on my part.) I'm actually kinda proud how it all turned out, all in all. I don't think it's necessarily good but, for a fic about a show I hadn't seen at the time, I think I did alright. Either way, this was a fun experiment. Thanks for reading and feel free to smack me with a fish. (I originally wasn't going to even post this up, because it's weird posting a fic about a show I hadn't seen, but... I dunno... the world needs more useless lesbians, I guess.) Anyway, thanks again for reading and I hope you enjoyed!
> 
> Oh, and Ehinerin was based on the character Babar the Elephant.

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Note: *shrug* I blame Alexlayer and TSO for this. Seriously. They get all the blame/credit for this insanity. Also, you may want to wait until the end before biting my head off. You'll see why.


End file.
